Yamato IV: Retribution
by PrinceZordar
Summary: A story set after the events of Final Yamato. Now, at long last, completed.
1. 1 A New Enemy

The huge black dreadnought grew larger in the bridge window, as

The huge black dreadnought grew larger in the bridge window, as the _Argo_ slowly moved towards Zordar's main bridge. Derek Wildstar, at the captain's control panel, decided to aim for what appeared to be the main operations center of the huge battle cruiser. _This should cause the most damage_, Derek thought to himself. _Hitting the main engine might only cause minor, repairable damage, but if I can take out the bridge, and Zordar, then perhaps I can die with victory._

Then the word struck him. _Die. I am so close to Earth, yet I will never set foot on it again. I will never see my brother Alex again. _Then he looked to his left, and saw the lifeless body of his beloved Nova, who appeared to be sleeping peacefully. _Nova, without you there is no reason to continue living._ He looked upon her and could almost see her sitting there looking back at him. He wondered if she would approve of his final actions_. Nova, please understand, this is all I have left. Earth must live on, even if we cannot._

Another explosion rocked the ship. Derek made a minor course change to correct for the explosion, and noticed that the speed was dropping. _That explosion must have been in the engine room_, he thought. He tried to increase the speed, but the engine was already giving him everything it had left. With the Wave Motion Engine and one auxiliary engine damaged, the _Argo_ was barely running at quarter speed. There was the chance that the _Argo_ would just bounce off the hull of Zordar's ship, but with the engines ready to fail, the main guns destroyed, and the Wave Motion Gun useless without power, Derek had run out of options.

He managed a weak chuckle at the irony – Earth's government had become somewhat smug about how the Earth had not only rebuilt itself in such a short time, but had improved upon the Wave Motion technology they received from Iscandar. _A lot of good it has done us,_ Derek winced. The _Andromeda_ and the rest of the defense fleet – the pride of the Earth Defense Force – were destroyed by the Comet Empire's superior technology. _But, there is still life,_ he thought. _As long as I have life, I will fight. _Derek looked back up at the dreadnought in the distance. Slowly, the _Argo_ was closing on Zordar; according to the instruments, they would impact with the giant battleship in less than five minutes.

_Five minutes isn't a lot of time to prepare for the end,_ Derek thought. To say he wasn't scared would be a lie - of course he was afraid of death. Most people were, but when you signed up for the Earth Defense Force, you had to accept death as a possibility. Every mission had the chance of failure. Even in a successful mission, there was always the chance that someone might have to sacrifice a life in the line of duty, whether it was theirs or that of their crew. Derek Wildstar, as Captain of the _Argo_, was going to go down with his ship in the name of life. He looked again at his beloved Nova, who had given her life to save his.

Derek had ordered the crew to make preparations for an all out attack on the Comet Empire, but before they could reach Earth, they were ambushed by their old enemy, Desslok. Desslok was presumed dead after their battle at Gamilon. Much to Derek's surprise, Desslok had not only survived but had joined forces with the Comet Empire. He used the Cometine forces to hold the _Argo_ in place until he could charge his Desslok Cannon. Venture put the _Argo_ into warp as the Desslok Cannon was fired, bringing the ship out of warp directly in front of Desslok's flagship. When the two ships collided, Derek ordered boarding parties to keep the Gamilon soldiers busy while he made his way to the bridge to face Desslok. Caught in a standoff, Desslok realized that he was fighting a pointless battle; he admitted defeat and dropped his sidearm. A Comet Empire officer on the bridge was not quite as willing to surrender, and took a shot at Derek. Nova attempted to push Derek out of the way and ended up taking the blast in the back. Desslok killed the Comet Empire officer, and expressed his deep regret that Nova had been injured. He then told Derek how to defeat the Comet Empire, and, having nothing more to live for, stepped out of an airlock into the cold darkness of space.

Despite Nova's serious injuries, she insisted on remaining at her post during their last battle with Prince Zordar. For almost two years, Nova had been a part of the Star Force, and she was not about to abandon her crew – her family - now. The crew always came first with her. Nova had gained the crew's friendship and respect, and Derek's love, but now she was gone.

_Soon, we will be together. _Derek glanced at the instrument panel. Less than a minute left. _Soon, we will finally be at peace._

An alarm at the side of the bridge went off, signaling close proximity with another vessel. Derek looked up again and thought he could barely make out movement through one of the dreadnought's windows. He hoped that they wouldn't notice the approaching _Argo_ until it was too late. The _Argo_ was too close for Zordar to shoot at now - the great cannons of the dreadnought would hit their own bridge if they fired. The alarm got louder and faster, and Derek forced himself to keep his eyes open. _I will face death with open eyes. _Then the two ships collided.

He was thrown from the captain's chair as the jarring sound of twisting metal echoed in his ears. More alarms were going off, one of them signaling decompression as the bridge windows were shattered, another signaling imminent engine over-pressurization. Derek didn't even hear them. He raised himself up to stare down into a gaping hole the _Argo_ had created when it hit. The front of the _Argo_ had slammed right through the hull of the dreadnought, and the bridges of both ships were engulfed in flames. The floor burst open with the force of an explosion from a lower deck, and at last, Derek cried out in pain, as…

He awakened with a shout, and stared into the darkness. Fumbling for the light switch next to the bed, he kicked his covers to the floor. As the lights went on, he looked around to find his quarters, unchanged but feeling unusually cold. At first, he thought that the environmental controls were on the fritz, but then he realized it was because he was sweating.

It was the same nightmare again. It had been haunting him for weeks, always ending the same. The outcome of the final battle with Zordar would have been much different had Trelaina not stepped in and destroyed Zordar's warship with her mind energy. Derek's plan was to ram the dreadnought, that much was true, but Trelaina had stopped him. Her last act, after returning Mark Venture's almost lifeless body to the _Argo,_ was to destroy Zordar. Whether she had given her life with this act, or merely disappeared into another dimension, no one could know for sure. Mark had suffered long after his recovery upon learning what had happened. Apparently, they had shared a love most people will never experience. Now Mark was gone too – he died defending the ship against the Dinguil Empire.

He looked at the clock to find that it was almost 0500, so he shuffled out of bed and headed towards the bathroom. On his way to the shower, he paused to look at his face in the mirror. This was a face that had seen much action, much life, and far too much death. It was finally beginning to show signs of its experience – the wild haircut from Derek's younger days had been replaced with a close-trimmed one more appropriate to someone with authority, and he had also grown a rather commanding looking beard. After months of deliberation, Nova had finally decided she liked the beard, so he kept it.

Nova.

His thoughts once again went to his wife. How he hated missions away from her, but she had her own duties. They had known when they married that their duties would sometimes keep them apart. In his nightmare, Nova and many of his fellow crew-members had been killed in the battle against Zordar, yet in reality most of them still lived. Why was he being tormented with these alternate possibilities? Derek accepted the first occurrence of the nightmare as a reminder that his life could have ended many times in the course of his career with the Star Force, but when the dark visions kept returning, he began to think that they meant something more.

At 0800 hours, Derek stepped onto the bridge of his ship. The _Avatar_ was a new long-range scout, named after the late Captain Abraham Avatar. There was much debating over whether or not a scout ship should be named after the captain of a battleship. However, the argument was presented that Captain Avatar's mission had always been to preserve peace, even in times of war, so the ship was finally commissioned. Derek, having served under Captain Avatar's last command, was asked to take the ship out on its maiden voyage. The mission was a simple one - explore the new galaxy formed by Dezarium's destruction. The force of the explosion caused a chain reaction within the twin nebula, forming a new galactic system. It had taken a few years for the gases and reactions to settle down; now that it was safe to enter the area, a team of astronomers was interested in it. Someone said it could show more about how our own universe was formed, or something like that. An old American space program called NASA was resurrected and renamed the International Space Administration. They argued that Earth hadn't been attacked by anyone in several years, so what else did the EDF have to do with its resources? It was presented to the President, who agreed that yes, the EDF was sitting on a pile of wasted money, and so the Earth Defense Force was ordered to loan out some of its scout vessels for ISA to use for exploration.

Derek walked up to the navigator, a bright young girl named Maria Santiago. She had just graduated from the academy, and this was her first non-simulated mission. "How are we doing?" he asked.

"We're on schedule, sir. We should be on Earth approach in approximately 16 hours."

After six months of studying nothing interesting whatsoever, Commodore Derek Wildstar and his crew were returning home. They didn't expect any problems, and certainly hoped they didn't run into anything threatening, since the ship was not designed for combat. There were battleships within radio distance that could be there at a moment's notice if the need arose, but Derek had issues with calling someone to bail him out. It had been many years since he had been on a ship that was not armed to the teeth, and it took a while to get used to. It had its good points: he could relax and not be on edge worrying whether or not the next battle plan would work without killing members of his crew. However, he found much of his time spent in idle thought, having nothing else to keep him occupied.

Derek stood looking out the bridge window at the blackness of space. Strange, how history repeated itself – once again he was returning to Earth from the former Black Nebula, looking forward to a reunion with Nova. Derek had been here five years earlier, fighting the Black Nebula Empire. As with almost every other battle he had fought, the entire Empire was utterly destroyed - no compromise nor surrender, but complete and total obliteration.

First was the war against Gamilon. In the name of defending the Earth, the Star Force almost destroyed the entire Gamilon race. This never sat well with Derek – they destroyed the Gamilon civilization to save their own. Was this what they had been sent to do? Sure, Desslok had dragged them there, but did the end result have to be so absolute? Derek was almost relieved when he learned that Desslok still lived, but then disappointed that the Gamilon Leader chose to fight on. Ironically, Desslok was the only enemy not killed in a war with Earth. In Derek's nightmare, Desslok had thrown himself into space after their last battle, but in truth, Derek and Desslok had made an uneasy truce before Desslok left the Sol System with what remained of his fleet.

After the war with Gamilon, the crew was forced to battle Prince Zordar and his Comet Empire. Whether this was the entire Gatlantian race or just one power-crazed leader, no one knew for sure. The cost in lives had been much higher in that battle – the Black Tigers, the brash but brave Sergeant Knox and many of his marines, Captain Gideon, almost the entire Earth Defense Fleet, and countless civilians.

Once the _Argo_ had been repaired, a fresh group of academy graduates was assigned as the new crew. During a training exercise, Wildstar received a distress call from Queen Starsha of Iscandar. Gamilon had exploded, forcing Iscandar out of its orbit. The battle with this new enemy resulted in the destruction of Iscandar and the death of Starsha, and the Black Nebula Empire swore revenge on Earth for their losses.

The war with the Black Nebula Empire was the one that stuck most vividly in Derek's mind, not only because he considered it to be a senseless battle, but also because of the rechristening of their ship. While hidden at Icarus Base, the _Argo_ had undergone extensive redesigns to both the weapons and the engine, and during the refitting, some of the workers commented that they felt a strange presence on the ship. This had been felt by the original crew during their long journeys, and as crazy as it sounded, many felt that it was the spirit of the ship's original captain, Admiral Aruga, who had gone down with the ship in World War II. In honor of Ariga and his crew, it was decided to restore the great ship's original name - _Yamato_. Unfortunately, the ship's first mission under its new name was to literally destroy the Empire's home world of Dezarium. Starsha, Alex, and their daughter Sasha all gave their lives to stop the Black Nebula Empire, yet still the enemy fought on, until Derek had no choice but to attack the capital city at the core, destroying the entire planet. An ancient Earth leader once said, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life." _And a planet for a planet_, added Derek.

Shortly after Dezarium was destroyed, Earth got caught in the middle of a war between the Bolar Federation and Desslok's new Garuman Empire. A stray missile caused Earth's sun to go nuclear, and once again, the people of Earth almost lost their home. This time Desslok fought to save the Earth rather than destroy it, and the Bolar Federation fell in Desslok's quest for power. Desslok had said, "Only by being peacefully aggressive through a war of conquest can I achieve peace in our time." Derek often wondered if he would live to see the day when no one would have to fight for peace.

Four years ago, Earth paid a high price for that peace – the sacrifice of the _Yamato. _The Dinguil Empire tried to use the water planet Aquarius to flood the Earth. Desslok once again helped to defeat Earth's enemy, but Aquarius was already approaching Earth. The _Yamato_ was filled with Tritium and the muzzle of the Wave Motion Gun was blocked, turning the proud ship into a flying bomb. Once the crew had abandoned the ship, Captain Avatar detonated the _Yamato_ by firing the obstructed Wave Motion Gun; the resulting explosion knocked the water planet out of orbit and away from Earth. The wreckage of the _Yamato_ still lay encased in frozen water from Aquarius, as a floating tribute to the ship and her crew.

_Why does peace have to be so bloody?_ Derek choked to himself.

It is 2209. After many brutal battles, Earth is at last enjoying peace. The surviving members of the Star Force have been reassigned to other posts: Derek Wildstar is returning home after a six month exploration mission. His wife, Nova, is studying to be a doctor in addition to part-time administrative duties at EDF HQ. Chris Eager is in charge of a new series of "Eye in the Sky" satellites being deployed around the solar system perimeter, and Dash Jordan has returned to the Academy for Captain's training. Homer Glickman, recently married to Commander Singleton's granddaughter Wendy, is Head of Communications at Earth Defense Headquarters. The other members of the _Yamato_ crew are currently assigned to various ships and stations in and outside the Sol System.

Funds once used for building battleships and fighter planes are now being used for research and exploration, and new planets are being colonized. This is not to say that the defense fleet has gone completely ignored - should Earth again be put into a position of defending peace, no one wants to be caught unready. New designs are being researched, and old enemy technologies are being evaluated.

Derek shook himself out of his daydream and turned back to Santiago. "Fine. Let me know when we reach Mars orbit." Maria gave him a quizzical look, as he realized that he had been standing there staring off into space for ten minutes before addressing her. He spun on his heel, and walked past his command station. He was still not used to sitting up there. On the _Yamato_, he had been at the Combat Chief's duty station, at one with the bridge crew, but the _Avatar_ did not even have a Combat Chief's station. Having to sit back and rely on a bunch of kids was not easy, but he had never been let down by a new crew.

He turned and looked at his bridge crew. In addition to Ensign Santiago, he had several other new cadets reporting to him. Donald Shackler, a former civilian scientist from New York, was probably the oldest among them at 41. (In the days of constant combat, anyone who lived past 30 was considered an "old timer.") Sean Mitchell, age 24, was radar chief, and also acted as a gunner if necessary. At communications was 27-year-old Akira "Sushi" Mayamoto - so nicknamed because of the amazing amount of sashimi he could put away in a single sitting. With all the computerized equipment, you didn't need much more crew than that. The _Avatar_ was a small ship, and didn't need much for an engine room crew. Chief Engineer Mark Kimball didn't have much more to do than sit and watch the monitors telling him that nothing was wrong. _Much like the captain,_ Derek thought. The most exciting thing the entire trip had been a radar glitch that kept showing something behind them, but at the range the radar insisted the blip was, someone would have been able to reach out the rear window and paint their name on the deck plating.

_This is boring_, Derek mumbled, as he returned to his quarters to make sure that all his paperwork was in order.

As expected, the _Avatar_ returned to Earth without incident. The science vessel glided onto the landing pad and touched down with a soft thud. Derek, who had returned to the bridge when they passed what was left of the Earth's moon, nodded his approval.

"Not a bad landing, Santiago," he said.

Maria simply said, "thank you sir," but he could tell she was grinning from ear to ear. She was not overeager to please, but she definitely knew when she had done a good job. The rest of the crew began shutting down stations and switching computers over to docking control. Derek jumped out of his command chair and headed towards the elevator. He hadn't seen Nova in six months, and wanted to get home. She would probably wait up for him, regardless that it would be after 0200 before he got home. Then there was the filing of his reports, a (hopefully) quick debriefing tomorrow, and then he was free for two weeks. He was looking forward to finding out his next assignment soon - he hated the suspense.

Before Derek could get to the door, Sushi called after him. "Skipper?"

Derek winced. He hated being called that. When he was officially promoted to Captain in 2204, Venture and Sandor decided it would be funny to call him "Skipper." The rest of the bridge crew joined in on the joke, until Derek threatened to stick them all on a medical shuttle and use them for Wave Gun target practice. For some odd reason, every time he heard the word "skipper," he was tempted to smack the person with his hat.

"How did we do?"

_Oh, yes, they will be expecting some sort of performance review. _"You all did very well for your first deep space mission," Derek began, "even though this was fairly routine, and we didn't run into anything too challenging, you all performed your duties without any deviation from standard… oh, hell, enough of the command pep talk. You all did fine. No one died, we accomplished our goal, and the ship is in one piece. That, to me, is the definition of a successful mission. Go get some R & R before your next duties are posted." That seemed to satisfy the hopeful looks directed towards him. With a smile, Derek stepped into the elevator and headed towards his quarters to gather his belongings.

It was well after 0330 when Derek finally stepped through the door of his home. He tried to be quiet so as not to awaken his wife, whom he assumed would be asleep when he saw that all the lights were off. At first, he was disappointed that she hadn't waited up for him, but when a yawn almost split his head in two, he was relieved at the idea of crawling into his own bed for a change. Spaceship accommodations were comfortable, but nothing compared to returning home to your own bedroom. He hoped that the familiar surroundings and the warmth of his wife pressed against him would keep the nightmares away long enough to catch up on his sleep.

As he silently closed the door, he hoped that Nova hadn't decided to buy a cat for companionship – he'd be sure to trip over it in the dark. He dropped his briefcase and duffel bag next to the door, took four steps towards the stairs, and was assaulted from behind. A laughing woman jumped on his back and hung on while trying to kiss him.

"Nova!" Derek turned to embrace his wife, but she was still clinging to his back. "Nova, you're still awake?"

"Silly! Did you think I could sleep, knowing you were returning tonight?" She finally hopped down so he could give her a hug and a long, passionate kiss. "Did you expect to find me asleep by the window, like a child waiting for Santa Claus?" she asked.

"Well, you do have to be at work by 0700."

"I managed to convince Central Administration to give me a few days off." She danced backwards towards the living room. "Come on; tell me more about the trip! Your messages weren't too long – did your crew keep you so busy that you didn't have any time to write to your poor lonely wife? Or did you find a girlfriend to keep you company?" she said with a wink.

Derek flopped down on the simulated leather couch. "What I sent was it," he began, ignoring the "girlfriend" comment. "It was just a routine exploration mission; you really didn't miss anything. Truth be told, I was unnecessary on that ship – it practically ran itself. Sending me was a PR move more than anything else." He yawned, then added, "I would rather have been training Astro-Fighter pilots." Nova giggled, knowing how much he hated his tours of duty as a pilot instructor.

Nova looked out the window at the stars. "You miss the action, don't you?"

Derek looked at her. "I don't miss the endless combat, that's for sure."

"No, not the constant fighting, although that did keep us all busy. I mean the idea of being occupied all the time. We didn't have time to be bored. We knew what our goal was, and we did it. You like to be kept busy - that's why you accepted command again."

In a surprise attack by the Dinguil Empire, the _Yamato_ was shot down over a desolate planet. Many of the crew died from the Dinguil hyper-radiation missiles; if not for the automatic systems, designed to return the _Yamato_ to Earth in the event of an emergency, the ship and its entire crew might have been lost. Derek accepted responsibility for the crew's deaths, and resigned his commission.

After Captain Avatar's memorial service, Commander Singleton offered to promote Derek to the rank of Commodore. Derek had thought it over for almost a month, and came very close to leaving active duty entirely. All the things he had seen, all the lives he had taken, and all the worlds he had touched, he decided that it was enough for one lifetime. No one would have thought badly of him for retiring, even at such a young age, although many said it would be a waste of experience not to continue with the EDF. Aside from the opinions of the Defense Council, something told him that he would regret his decision if he retired now. So, he accepted the rank and the assignments that came with it.

Being in charge of a crew was nothing new. What bothered him was that he was only given small assignments and inconsequential commands. There wasn't much to do other than exploration, overseeing construction efforts, and training new cadets. He had to admit that he wasn't finding his new rank to be all that exciting. At age 28, he was the youngest Commodore in the EDF. He had earned that rank, no one could argue that, but he had noticed the strange and uncomfortable looks he would get from older people who reported to him.

"You don't fault me for it, do you Nova?"

"No, of course not! I have always felt that you belonged in the captain's chair. You may not have felt ready for it when we took off in search of a new Earth, but you handled the new crew with such professionalism. A far cry from making people run laps in their skivvies, I think." She giggled.

"Ah, so you did think I was being too hard on them," Derek winked. "It was a popular punishment at the Academy - as you learned once."

Nova blushed as she remembered her scantily clad evening calisthenics in flight school. "Not that YOU ever had to do so, of course."

"Um, no, of course not… I was a model student."

"Sure you were," Nova tossed a pillow at him. "I wonder how you would have done in command school. You lucked out, and got on the job training."

"Well, Captain Avatar once said that there's no better teacher than experience. I guess that's why he made me Deputy Captain. He must have seen some potential in me. I had hoped I'd get to take _Yamato_ out again, though."

"You were disappointed when Captain Yamanami took command of _Yamato_ to go to Dezarium, weren't you?"

"Actually, I expected Sandor to captain _Yamato_. I certainly didn't anticipate commanding her. She was practically a new ship with all the refits put into her. It did feel good to be back on board, even if you weren't with us for that mission."

"I took care of myself, thank you very much," Nova replied with a mock pout. "Even if Alphon was making passes at me."

Derek looked her in the eyes. He knew what she was thinking, even if she was trying to smile. "Nova, you don't have to keep torturing yourself over it."

While Nova was Alphon's prisoner during the Black Nebula Empire's occupation of Earth, he offered the secret to disarming the hyperon bomb if she would sleep with him. She still wanted to believe that Derek was alive, but she had weakened enough to consider the proposal. If she gave Alphon one night, Earth might be saved, but if Derek was still alive, she would have shamed herself beyond forgiveness. Derek told her many times that he would have understood – as far as anyone knew, the crew WAS dead, thanks to some quick thinking by Dr. Sane. However, Nova still never fully forgave herself for it, and refused to think of the consequences of her actions had she gone through with it.

"You didn't love him," Derek continued. "You were doing what you always do – what needed to be done."

"Derek… I… no, of course I didn't love him. I felt… pity. Compassion. I genuinely felt bad for him, especially when I found out what happened to his race."

"You know, that's part of what I love about you. You always manage to find good in everything. It was your love for me that helped Desslok to realize that he was fighting a pointless war." He looked up at the clock. "And now, my love for you says we should get to bed. You might have the day off, but I have a debriefing to attend in five hours." She giggled like a schoolgirl as he scooped her up from the couch and carried her up the stairs.

Derek gave his reports at a debriefing the following morning. The only people who didn't look bored were the ones from Science Division. One of the presiding generals kept nodding off in the corner, only to be jarred awake whenever someone coughed or tapped a stack of papers on the table. Four hours later, the meeting finally adjourned. _Just in time,_ Derek thought, _I was about to fall asleep myself._

Derek was walking through the halls towards the rail tubes when he heard shouting from behind him. He turned towards the voice to see Sandor waving at him.

"Sandor!" Derek called out as he turned to approach his old friend. Sandor, the oldest of the remaining original crew, was starting to show signs of age as well. His hairline was receding, and what hair he did have was starting to turn gray. He had once said that having bionic arms and legs would at least prevent arthritis in his old age.

"Wildstar! I heard the _Avatar_ returned from its first mission. Sorry I missed the debriefing. How did it go?"

"Boring."

"The meeting or the mission?"

"Yes," Derek said with a grin. "Consider yourself lucky that you couldn't make it for either one. There have got to be better things to do than stare at burning gas clouds. It was a nice easy assignment though."

"Wildstar, have you had lunch yet? I have some things to show you." Sandor always loved to show off his work.

"Not yet. I was on my way to meet Nova for lunch."

"Bring her afterwards, if you want. I haven't seen her in months. Meet me at the Science Center in two hours?"

"Well, sure, okay, I'll bring her along. What's this all about?"

"Remember the salvaging from the Comet Empire Fleet?"

"I heard something about that." After the Battle of Saturn, salvage ships were sent out to collect wreckage so the EDF could better understand who they were fighting. When the war ended, most of it was stashed into storage facilities.

"We're discovering a lot of new things. With any luck, we can use some of it to enhance our own fleet. See you in a few hours!" He slapped Derek on the shoulder and walked off.

Derek met Nova at a little café about a mile from EDF HQ. They had eaten there a lot over the years, and they were glad it had been reopened every time Earth had to rebuild. It was like an anchor in a sea of constant change.

"So, how did the briefing go?" Nova asked between bites.

"Almost as dull as the mission. At least I was allowed to sleep onboard the _Avatar_ if I got bored." He poked at his sandwich. "I don't know why they are so interested in that part of space. There's a lot of other territory we haven't explored."

"There are a lot of other scout ships, Derek. Maybe they sent you to that area because you had been there."

"As much as I wanted the chance to command a ship, I didn't really want to go back there."

"Sasha?" Nova whispered. They each had their sore spots; Sasha had been his. He had promised to protect her when she learned of Alex's death, yet she died at the hands of the Black Nebula Empire leader. His only solace was that she was finally content.

"The entire Black Nebula War was a waste. First, Gamilon was destroyed. Then Starsha destroyed Iscandar to take out that Gorba ship. Alex killed himself to save the Commander, and then Sasha was killed on Dezarium. That war wiped out everything related to our first mission together. So, to make up for it, we destroyed Dezarium and the entire Black Nebula civilization with one blast of the Wave Motion Gun. Is this what we are, Nova? A bunch of savages, bent on revenge?"

"Derek… maybe it wasn't one of your finest moments, but that's not you at all."

"Isn't it? I had to face it all again, staring out at that nebula. It all came back - all the death and destruction I've caused in the name of peace. We've always been taught that peace is worth fighting for. Well, why does it have to be me doing the fighting? When those memories come back, I regret taking the promotion." He shoved his sandwich away.

"Derek, you go through this every time you get depressed. Talk to me, what's going through your mind?"

He wanted to tell her about the nightmares, but not here. A street café was not the place. "I told Sandor we'd be stopping by after lunch."

"Oh? What's the mad scientist got to show us this time?" She was uneasy about the change of subject, but decided to let it pass for now. _When he wants to open up to me, he will._

"Something about the Comet Empire salvaging. He seemed pretty excited about it. How can I say no to Sandor?" He guzzled the rest of his tomato juice and looked at the sandwich. "I'll probably want it later." He flagged over a waiter.

_Not too likely,_ thought Nova as she reached for her bag_._

The Science Center was about twenty miles away from the cafe, which was about a 10-minute trip by train. Derek and Nova stepped out and walked up the stairs, waving ID badges at the front desk guard. Getting into this part of the Science Center didn't require special clearance, but it had become habit to flash badges whenever entering a building. The guard nodded, then went back to his crossword puzzle.

They took the elevator to Sandor's floor. Sandor had his own section of the building, mainly because he had his hand in so many things that it was easier to put them all in the same place than to have Sandor run from one building to the next. There were also sectioned off places in several hangars for experimental spacecraft. Derek and Nova entered a secure lab area, which did require badge access. As soon as the door opened, Sandor looked up from a computer terminal to greet them.

"Welcome to my humble little laboratory!" The three friends greeted each other with hugs and handshakes. While Derek and Sandor saw each other about once a month, many of the other crewmembers didn't get to see each other more than once a year when they gathered to honor the fallen at Heroes' Hill.

"They don't let me out much, so I appreciate the two of you coming to visit," Sandor joked.

"You look like you enjoy it, though," Nova observed. There were papers and data pads all over the place, food containers on the floor, and large metal and plastic objects she could not identify. "I bet you don't even know what half this stuff does," she grinned.

"You're probably right, but don't tell anyone or I'm out of a job," Sandor grimaced. Then he motioned towards a door. "Follow me. I think you'll like this." He led them through to another door, which led to an elevator. The glass elevator went down several levels, until Derek was able to see the remains of an underground city. "It's been converted to a staging area," Sandor answered, as if he knew what Derek was thinking. "We needed a place to build experimental craft without the press in our faces. They can be merciless at times." Derek remembered from his wedding - of all the enemies they had faced, tabloid reporters were the absolute worst.

The elevator stopped at a lower hangar level. They climbed into a small car resembling an old golf cart and drove towards a large ship. The only insignia was a number "24" on the hull. Much of the hull was still missing, and large sections of the engine were still visible. "This," Sandor puffed his chest proudly, "is the _Prometheus._"

"It looks like a cross between the _Andromeda _and the Magna-Flame gunship," Nova whispered. Instead of the _Andromeda's_ dual Wave Guns at the front, it had one gun muzzle in between two rectangular pods.

"We did use those ships as a starting point, but then we improved upon anything we could. Thanks to what we've learned from salvaged Comet Empire ships, we were able to squeeze 75 more power from the Wave Motion Engine. We've made so many modifications to the original Iscandarian design that it's only called a Wave Motion Engine for sentimental reasons. In addition, the radar range has been doubled with no loss in resolution, and the shock cannons have almost twice the range. If we can scan it, we can hit it. The _Prometheus_ has runways topside, so she doubles as a carrier." He pointed towards the top of the ship – the pods on either side flattened on the top to form twin runways. "While most battleships carry a small complement of fighters, we're designing the _Prometheus_ to be an independent warship. It isn't always possible to have carrier escort, but as you may recall, having fighter backup can often decide the outcome of a battle." Derek nodded; the presence of the Black Tigers had turned the tables in combat many times. "We also found that having the hangar door on the bottom of the ship was a serious handicap if the ship had to make an emergency landing, such as our crash on the Dinguil flagship."

Sandor led them inside the massive ship, and took them to the bridge. Most of the panels were still hanging by wires, and the video displays above the main window were not completely assembled, but it was apparent that the bridge was laid out like the _Andromeda. _Sandor flipped a few switches, and a couple of panels lit up. "The bridge is a cross between the _Yamato_ and the _Andromeda_. We kept the layout of the _Andromeda_, but the instrument panels are not as computerized. The computers are better, but they don't completely remove the necessity of a good crew. One of the complaints about the _Andromeda_ was that there were no calibration settings – the computer set everything as it saw fit. This was okay for cadets fresh out of the academy, but more seasoned operators like to have more control over the system. So, we compromised - the system was designed to be faster and more efficient than the one used in the _Andromeda _series, but it still has a manual override if necessary. The _Prometheus_ is a test case; if this new system works out, we're going to recommend it as an upgrade to existing ships."

Nova took a look at the radar. She fiddled with a few dials, and threw a few switches. The radar appeared to be functional, but nothing was responding. "This doesn't look promising," she laughed, as she motioned towards the static on the twin-globed display.

"It's probably not hooked up to the external antenna array," was Sandor's reply. "I'll have to check the duty schedule. For all I know the antenna's not even here yet."

She turned off the switches, and the displays went dark again. She looked up at Sandor and frowned. "No offense, but it's not…"

"_Yamato_?" He nodded and closed his eyes. "I know. Nothing is _Yamato_." He turned to shut down the bridge. "Let me show you around the rest of the ship." They went back to the elevator and went down a few levels. Then the elevator started moving sideways, and stopped a few moments later. The door opened to reveal a large room that resembled the pressure chamber for the Wave Motion Gun, except it was much larger, and had some additional pipes and chambers. "Welcome to the Magna-Wave Gun control center."

"Magna-Wave Gun?" Derek looked at the chamber with awe.

"Well, as you know, we tried to salvage as much of the Comet Empire's technology as possible after they were defeated. We were very interested in the Magna-Flame gunship, but unfortunately, Captain Gideon's fleet did too good a job in destroying it." He stopped short when Derek gave him a puzzled look. "Ah, well, I mean unfortunately from a scientific point of view. Of course it had to be destroyed," he stammered. "At any rate, all we were able to learn from the ship's computer was that they called it '_Madaruusa_', the commander's name was Bleak, and their mission was to knock out the Earth Defense Fleet. There were no design plans aboard, which didn't make any sense – how did they expect to do repairs on it without some form of blueprint? We can only assume that the Gatlantians were more concerned with protecting their technology than preserving their resources.

"We dragged what was left of the hull to our Io Research Facility and combed through it to find out what made it tick. After almost a year, we came to the conclusion that there just weren't enough pieces left over to even make a wild guess. So, we tried to improvise by combining it with our own technology. What we ended up with are plans for a dual-purpose offensive weapon with the power of the improved Wave Motion Gun and the range of the Magna-Flame cannon. It charges quicker than the Wave Motion Gun, so instead of a three-minute recovery time after firing, it comes to full firing charge in one minute, with a 30-second recovery time. Thus, it allows for repeated firing, much like the Magna-Flame Gun."

"That's amazing! How would that work?" Derek was looking at a sheet with simulated test results and specifications.

Sandor showed them a schematic with several sections highlighted. "Well, you already know how the Wave Motion Gun works – it takes tachyon particles from the Wave Motion Engine, compresses them into Wave Motion Energy, and fires this energy out the front of the ship. The problem with this design is that it puts a strain on energy reserves, making the ship vulnerable while it's charging and for a short time after firing. For this reason, the Wave Gun is a weapon of last resort. On the other hand, the Magna-Flame Gun looks like it was designed to be a primary assault weapon."

"It took out several of Captain Gideon's ships before the _Andromeda_ Fleet could even fire a shot."

"Exactly. A weapon like that would be quite valuable, but since the _Andromeda_ Fleet was destroyed before the Comet Empire fleet was in scanning range, we have no real data on the original Magna-Flame Gun. From analyzing recordings of ship-to-ship communications during the battle, we know that the gun backfired when the enemy tried to use it in Saturn's ice rings. We're still not entirely sure why."

"Fortunately for Captain Gideon, it gave the fleet the time they needed to regroup," Derek said.

"If this thing works, it might be something we'll have to remember ourselves."

"If it works?" Nova asked. "That doesn't sound at all like you!" She winked.

Sandor looked embarrassed. "It's like a giant jigsaw puzzle with 80 of the pieces missing and no box cover. There just weren't enough pieces left over to make a working model, and the components we do have, well, we can't figure out how they work." He flipped a few pages on a clipboard and pointed at a drawing of the _Madaruusa_. "You see these round ports on the front? They are energy conduits of some form, but we can't tell whether they were meant to collect or discharge energy." He flipped to another page, this one showing the front of the _Prometheus_ with two pods sticking out of the sides of the hull. "Our collector pods are mounted here and here, on either side. One theory says that they are used to collect energy from space and add that to the main power cells to charge the weapon. However, after studying the Gamilon Matter Transporter another valid theory has been presented."

Derek looked surprised. "When did you get hold of a SMITE unit?"

"We grabbed one of the SMITE pods from Desslok's flagship and studied it."

Derek laughed. "That explains a lot. While we were on Garumania, Desslok told us that he sent a crew to retrieve his flagship after our last battle. He didn't mind our taking some parts from the _Gamilstadt_ to repair the _Yamato_, but he was curious as to why one of the SMITE generators was missing. I didn't realize we had taken it."

"Sorry about that. In all the confusion, it sort of slipped my mind to tell you about it. While we were scraping deck plating from Desslok's ship to repair our own, Royster suggested taking one of the SMITE pods along to study. I wasn't sure if we had the time, but it didn't take long to disassemble one. These devices caused a lot of trouble for us when we fought General Lysis, so it was almost an obsession with some of the engineers to get it working. One of them even compared Lysis with Adolf Hitler – brilliant strategist, powerful weaponry, pity he ended up causing so much death and destruction."

Derek ignored the comparison, remembering that the _Yamato_ was a product of that war. "So what is the new theory?"

"One of our engineers suggested that these unknown ports were used as teleportation devices, similar to SMITE technology. Based on chatter recorded during the battle, it seemed like the blast from the Magna-Flame Gun came from directions other than line-of-sight, which implies that somehow, those pods on the sides were able to open a rift in space through which the cannon was fired. This allowed the blast to come from the fleet's flank and even rear. Impossible with a normal energy weapon, but somehow possible with this one. This leads to the idea that if an energy blast can be sent through the rift, so can a ship."

"So, we would be able to teleport fighters from one place to another, just like the Gamilons did at the Rainbow Galaxy?" Derek asked. "A ship without a warp engine would still be able to travel great distances."

"Medical shuttles could jump in and out of a battle field," Nova whispered. Derek looked at her and nodded.

Sandor looked down at his feet. "There are lots of possibilities, but we weren't able to precisely duplicate the SMITE's power source either."

"So none of this has actually been tested?" Derek asked.

"Well, not in an actual production model, no. Without more information on Gamilon power reactors, we've been afraid to power it on." Sandor looked embarrassed that his theories were still just those – theories. "It didn't come with an operating manual," he said, trying to break the tension.

"Why not just ask the Gamilons for help?" Nova asked.

Sandor looked even more sheepish. "It's a matter of pride – no one wants to go begging the Gamilons for help, and if they found out we even had the thing, they might want it back. Remember, there hasn't exactly been an official peace treaty. I doubt that Earth Command would trust them enough to sign a trade agreement that allowed us to exchange technology. Even though they did try to repair the damage done to the Sun, well, it was their missile that caused it to go nuclear in the first place. There are a lot of people in key positions that still don't trust the Gamilons. The President is one of them."

"It's been many years since we fought the Gamilons and the Comet Empire. Why are we just now seeing some of their technology?" Nova asked, trying to change the subject to prevent further embarrassment. Sandor looked relieved.

"We actually started looking at some of this back in 2202, but then the hyperon bomb showed up in our back yard. Earth Defense wouldn't give us the time to research new technology when we needed to rely on something that worked. The supercharger and the Wave Motion cartridge guns were the extent of our research at that time, and even those required a lot of last-minute hacks to make them work. Given more time, I would have rather built the supercharger into the engine itself. I was very relieved that it worked after our first real test, but further experimenting had to wait when I found out that the Earth had been attacked. Even after the Dinguil Empire was defeated, it was a long time before anyone at headquarters felt safe enough to let us start looking at new technology again. We blew the dust off the Magna-Wave gun plans about the same time that the _Avatar_ hit the drawing board."

As they were leaving the control room, Derek asked, "what about other enemy technology? Has anything from the Dinguil or Black Nebula Empires been used for anything?" Since the engine room and flight hangars were still a skeleton structure and not much to look at yet, they were heading towards a break room outside the ship. Sandor had said that this was the only place in the known universe that served coffee worse than Nova's.

"We had a series of meetings on that. When the hyperon bomb was dismantled, we studied it carefully. We decided that the technology was just too barbaric for us to adapt. The same decision was made about the Dinguil hyper-radiation missiles - anything that was designed to be as painful as possible in taking a life just wasn't something we wanted anything to do with."

Nova stabbed at a piece of cheesecake. "So, we can take lives, as long as it's quick and painless?" She frowned at the double standard.

Sandor took a sip of coffee. "Top brass's unofficial position is if we have to take lives at all, we don't have to enjoy it." Sandor looked over at Wildstar. "From what Derek said in his reports about Emperor Lugarl, he was an absolute fanatic who didn't care much for the welfare of anyone who fell outside his plans. He sacrificed his own sons for what he believed. The leader of the Black Nebula Empire was hell-bent on taking our bodies from us. Earth has never attacked another race for its own gain, just in self-defense. We want to keep it that way.

"Besides, the _Prometheus_ isn't just another flying death machine. The ship may never be commissioned in its current form. It's just a test bed for new designs."

"So who's the lucky crew to fly the _Prometheus_ on its first mission?" Derek asked. "Should be very exciting, flying a ship with scavenged alien technology. It'll probably take years to work out all the bugs."

"We're looking for an experienced crew for the _Prometheus_, and a second crew for the escort ship." Derek's eyebrows rose when Sandor said "escort ship." Sandor caught it, and explained, "in case anything goes wrong with the _Prometheus_, we'll have an escort as a backup. The _Gemini_ will carry rescue shuttles if necessary, and it's also a good way to test our remote control system. We're going to fit every ship with the capability to take control of another ship's systems in case the bridge is captured or rendered inoperable."

Sandor took a sip of coffee, and looked at Derek. "I was hoping you would command the _Prometheus_."

Derek stopped mid-chew, then swallowed and looked wide-eyed at Nova, then back at Sandor. "Me? I don't know. I'm not sure I'm cut out for it."

"Who else has more experience with unexpected situations? Besides, it's only a test flight. Look, I have to put in my recommendations by next week for a crew. Give it some thought, okay? I want good people backing me up." Sandor finished his coffee and tossed the cup in a well-practiced perfect arc across the room into a trash barrel.

"I'll give it thought, but I don't think they would accept me."

"Oh, why not, Derek?" Nova poked at his arm.

"I don't know, it isn't… well, it won't be the same."

Sandor stood up to leave. "Wildstar, face it. I'm as sentimental as the next guy, but _Yamato_ is gone. We have to move on." He looked at his watch. "Speaking of moving, I have a meeting in a few minutes. May I escort you out?"

Captain Avatar was adjusting the controls from his post, mumbling something under his breath. Derek turned and looked out the window of the bridge, and saw the great water planet approaching. Avatar began the countdown to firing the Wave Motion Gun, knowing that pulling the trigger meant killing himself and destroying the _Yamato_. The ship that had saved mankind from extinction so many times was now about to do so one last time. The look on Avatar's face was not one of fear, but of regret. Regret that he was destroying the ship? Who was to say? In less than 5 seconds…

Then Derek realized he was on the bridge of the _Yamato_. How could this be? He was on board the _Fuyuzuki_, how could he be here? Before he could move, the ship was rocked with an explosion, splitting it in two. The flash of the explosion blinded Derek. He tried to cry out, but no words came. The last feeling he had was icy water filling the bridge…

He woke up with a start, almost knocking Nova out of bed. She turned to hold him.

"Derek! What's the matter?" She placed a hand on his back, then exclaimed, "You're soaking wet!" She got up and grabbed his robe.

Derek grabbed the robe and wrapped it around his shivering body. He looked at the clock, which read 3:02am. He turned to look at Nova, who appeared very worried. "I'm, okay, it's just another nightmare."

"Another? What do you mean another? You've been having nightmares? Why didn't you tell me?"

He spent the next half-hour recounting the occurrences of each nightmare, while Nova listened intently. "They seemed like nothing at first, but lately they seem to hold some meaning. The circumstances are different, but they always end the same," he concluded. "I die in an alternate version of a decisive point in my past."

"Something is about to happen. I can feel it too, Derek, but not through nightmares. Everyday actions seem to be somewhat more than simple routine." Nova looked at her hands. "I feel like everything I do is for some master plan, leading up to something."

They fell back to sleep holding one another, almost not waking up for the alarm clock.

Derek spent the next week relaxing, catching up on old mail, and even repainting the bedroom ("that awful blue!" Nova had said many times.) He kept bouncing between "I could really get used to this puttering around at home stuff" and "I need to get off this rock." Nova had to go back to work at Central Hospital, and had duties at EDF HQ four nights a week. She really amazed him sometimes – at age 28, she was a Lt. Commander, a combat veteran, an accomplished pilot, an accredited nurse, and was still working to better herself by working towards a doctorate in medicine. How many guys were lucky enough to be married to a woman like her? Of course, when he would tell her this, she would just blush and say, "oh, YOU!" or something equally dismissive.

Just when he was starting to get used to the idea of lounging around in a hammock, the party was over. Monday morning, he reported to EDF Headquarters to receive his assignment: just what he had feared, more pilot training. Not exactly what he had hoped for, but at least it didn't take him very far away from Nova. He was to report in two weeks to the Delta Training Facility in Chicago. Derek hoped that he would have time to see some of the cities, and how people were managing. He felt badly for all the people who had to rebuild their lives after a devastating attack, only to have them destroyed again the following year when someone new decided to take over the Earth. For now, Earth was enjoying peace, but would it last? He told himself not to think about it.

He was heading for the monorails, grumbling to himself about the assignment, when he heard a familiar motorized noise behind him. He stopped and turned to see IQ-9 heading his direction.

"Commodore Derek Wildstar, I have a message for you from Sandor."

"Go ahead, IQ." Derek hoped IQ-9 was being used for more than a messenger robot.

"At 1500 hours next Saturday, the _Prometheus_ will be taking off for a test flight. You have been invited onboard the escort ship _Gemini_ as an honored guest. Sandor needs a reply by tomorrow morning so he can finalize the crew roster." IQ-9 paused a moment, then added in a more animated voice, "Of course, you are welcome to bring Nova."

"Yes, you would say that," Derek grinned. He would have a week to spare, so he could still make it to Chicago in plenty of time. Maybe he could get some flight time in himself before classes began. "Tell Sandor I will be there, and Nova might come with me. Don't get your hopes up."

"I will relay your message, Commodore Wildstar." Nova would not be thrilled to be on a ship with IQ-9 again; he had grown even more eccentric since the wedding, if such a thing were possible. He tried to lift up her wedding dress twice, which Dr. Sane simply called, "an improvement."

The following Saturday, Derek and Nova reported to Docking Bay Four as instructed by Sandor. At Nova's insistence, Derek was dressed in his black captain's jacket, even though he was not the ship's captain. Since Derek was an experienced captain, Sandor had placed him in a position of "advisement." Nova joked that this meant, "All the seasoned captains are too busy, so they brought in some wet-behind-the-ears trainee who will be bugging you the entire trip wondering where to find the head." They were approaching the gangway when Sandor, also dressed in a black captain's jacket, approached them. While Sandor carried no military rank, he had apparently been placed in the position of Captain for this test flight. Based on the way he kept tugging at his jacket sleeves, he was obviously not used to wearing it.

"Ah, welcome Commodore and Lieutenant Commander Wildstar, our honored guests!" He bowed in mock reverence. Nova poked him on the top of the head.

"Get up before you get stuck like that!" she giggled. Sandor straightened up and motioned towards the _Prometheus_, which was now, at least externally, completed. The number was still there, but the holes in the hull were closed up. In a docking cradle next to the _Prometheus_ was a smaller ship, the _Gemini, _which wasn't much larger than the _Avatar_.

Derek looked over the _Prometheus_, his eyes stopping on the front. "Sandor, did you remove the SMITE pods?"

"They're retractable. No sense advertising, especially since they don't work. They are wired to the Magna-Wave Gun, but I shudder to think what would happen if we actually activated them." He grimaced and motioned towards the new ship. "Shall we take a tour of the _Prometheus_ before we take off?" he asked, changing the subject. "You should see the bridge now that it's finished." The three walked into the massive ship and took the elevator up. The door opened, and they stepped out to the bridge. A bunch of technicians dropped what they were doing and saluted in the standard fist-over-heart fashion.

After a few seconds, Sandor whispered, "Wildstar! Salute them back, before they fall over!"

Derek saluted smartly, and added, "As you were." The crew returned to their stations. Nova smirked.

"You've carried that rank long enough, you should be used to it by now, _Commodore_," Sandor laughed, giving emphasis on the last word. He walked over to the captain's console and threw a few switches. "Lieutenant, how much more is there to do before we're ready?"

"We're just about done, Sandor. Four more relays to connect with the main engine, and we're all set. Should take about 15 minutes." The lieutenant saluted; Sandor returned the salute, and the lieutenant returned to his work.

Derek leaned over and whispered to Sandor, "The engine's not online yet?"

Sandor whispered back, "This was a rush job. I'll tell you about it later."

The communications officer shouted from across the bridge, "Captain! Message from Command: they want to know if all crew has checked in."

Sandor, obviously not used to being called "Captain," paused a few seconds before realizing that the officer was addressing him. He pushed a few buttons on his data pad and scrolled through the crew roster. "Tell them the _Prometheus'_ engine crew is still missing a few people. They have ten minutes to check in or they're on report."

"Yes sir!"

Sandor pointed at the communications officer. "That's Jason Dunlap. He graduated from the Academy a few years ago, and has been working in traffic control for the Houston Space Port. Over there is navigator Michael Morley, and radar operator Tom Silver. Theresa McGovern has the honor of being the first female combat chief to graduate from the Academy." Each person nodded or saluted as they were introduced.

"Sandor, who will captain the _Prometheus_?" Derek asked, examining the controls on the captain's console. All captain's consoles were laid out pretty much the same, so a captain from one vessel could easily take command of another, but there were always slight differences to account for ships' functions.

"Well, I really would have preferred you in that chair. Admiral Rolaski will be taking the ship out."

"Vladimir Rolaski?" Derek had heard the name before, but not in a good light. Admiral Rolaski had a history of acting without thinking, and it had cost lives and ships. In a battle with Black Nebula ships, he was ordered to fall back, but Rolaski ignored the order and tried to keep the offensive. Most of his fleet was destroyed, and his flagship would have been as well if the enemy fleet didn't have other agendas.

"The same. He arrived earlier, and is in his quarters brushing up on some of the ship's specs."

Derek nodded. "Is this a good idea? Rolaski is, after all…"

"Yes, and that was considered, but I was told 'no one else has the time.' Personally," he lowered his voice, "I think it was a political decision. This is only a shakedown cruise, so one would hardly expect someone as high ranking as an Admiral to do this kind of work. I think someone wants to clean up Rolaski's act, and being the first to take out a combined tech ship will make him a media darling. Either that, or Rolaski drew the short straw. Besides, he has experience with new ships."

"He's been through enough of them," Derek mumbled.

Sandor ignored the comment. "He can think on his feet too. He's rather set in his ways, but when he found out you would be on board the _Gemini_, he promised to be receptive to your recommendations."

"Oh, I'll bet."

Suddenly, someone shouted, "Admiral on the bridge!" Everyone stood and saluted; Derek and Sandor turned and saluted as well. Admiral Rolaski stepped up to his command chair, turned and saluted, then looked at Derek.

"Commodore Wildstar, it is I who salute you. Welcome aboard the _Prometheus._" He took his seat behind the command console. "Sandor, are all crew members aboard?"

Sandor punched a few keys again on his data pad and looked up. "Yes, sir, all crew are present and accounted for. The engine crew is priming the Wave Motion Engines, all computer teams are ready, and the navigation crew is standing by for course information."

"Very good. All bridge crew, take your stations." He picked up a microphone. "Attention all hands, this is Admiral Rolaski. Take your stations, and prepare the ship for launch."

Sandor tapped Derek on the arm. "That's our cue. We should get over to the _Gemini_." Sandor motioned towards the elevator as Derek took Nova's hand. "Come on, it's time for us to get underway."

As they walked towards the escort ship, Sandor explained, "As I said the other day, the _Gemini_ has the ability to control another ship if necessary. With any luck, we won't need that little feature."

"Are you afraid something will go wrong?" Nova asked.

"Let's just say there's so much duct tape holding the _Prometheus_ together at the moment, I'll be impressed if she makes it out of the dock."

"Then why not postpone the test flight?"

"Nova, were it my decision, I'd want another month at least. There are quite a few people who are very interested in seeing this project succeed, and quite a few more that are up for re-election soon. I was told to have it ready to fly by this afternoon, or they'd find someone who could."

Derek nodded in understanding. "It's the _Argo_ refit all over again."

They crossed the deck and stepped up the much smaller gangplank of the _Gemini,_ takingthe lift to the bridge. After Derek was done saluting the crew, Sandor waved Derek and Nova over towards the captain's chair.

"Wildstar, you and I will sit at the command console. Now, you should meet the crew." Derek stepped down towards the left side of the control panels. "Our operations chief is someone you might remember."

"Kitano!" Derek stepped forward to shake the hand of one of his own trainees. "It's been a long time!"

Kitano stood proudly. "Captain - excuse me - Commodore Wildstar, it's good to see you again."

"What have you been up to?" Kitano had started out rather green, but by the time the _Yamato_ had returned to Earth after the "Iscandar incident," Kitano had proven himself to be a valuable member of the crew.

"I was assigned to a defense ship near Pluto after we returned from our first encounter with the Black Nebula Empire. We got into a skirmish with one of the Black Nebula fleets on their way to Earth, but they weren't too interested in us. Nothing like the excitement you saw, from what I hear." Something on his console beeped. "If you'll excuse me, sir, can we catch up later?"

Derek shook Kitano's hand again. "Absolutely. It's good to have you aboard." Kitano returned to his seat and began going over some displays. "Any more surprises, Sandor?"

"No other former _Yamato_ crew, if that's what you mean," Sandor grinned, "although Chief Yamazaki was one of the designers of the new Wave Motion Engine." He pointed to the navigation chair. "Our navigator is probably comparing notes with the Admiral. Ensign Maria Santiago - she's new, but very qualified."

Derek looked at the navigator's chair. "Yes, I know her. She was my navigator on the _Avatar. _Good pilot, but never tested under real combat conditions."

"We're not running any live combat tests on this trip, just some target practice. We're a long way from battle games." Sandor pointed at the radar post, where Nova was chatting with the operator. "Our radar operator is Ryu Fujita. This is also his first real flight."

"Sandor," Wildstar whispered, "why so many trainees? We're babysitting an untested ship, anything could go wrong. I thought you wanted a more seasoned crew for the _Prometheus_, at least."

"Well, it's mostly because of the short notice. My original crew recommendations were approved for a test flight three weeks from now. However, as I mentioned before, I was told to accelerate things a bit, or give up the project to someone else. This is my baby, and I want to see it through, so I was forced to take on academy graduates that have no current assignments. I'm not too worried, though - I am sure you remember the time we went up with trainees."

Derek tried to stifle a laugh at the memory of a soaking wet Tim Orion, who had capsized the transport boat because he was gaping at the size of the _Argo_ instead of watching where he was going. "Yes, they certainly were green. But they were flying a proven ship."

"We ran into unexpected circumstances. No one could have anticipated what was going to happen on that trip, yet we couldn't have asked for a better crew. Besides, were you any different on the first flight to Iscandar? As I recall, you had been stationed at an outpost on Mars, and the _Argo _had just risen from the ocean bed. How much testing did the Wave Motion Engine have? How much action did we see out there? How much actual combat experience did you have? Your first battle was right before our first warp to Mars. It was the same with Sakamoto and the new Black Tigers. They had no real combat experience either, but they didn't let you down at Iscandar, did they?"

"Once Sakamoto grew up, he made a damn good pilot."

"Once you grew up, you made a damn good captain."

Derek looked out the bridge window at the closed bulkhead doors. "You're right. These cadets deserve a chance."

"Sandor," Nova asked, "speaking of the crew, where's IQ-9?" Neither had heard her come up behind them.

Sandor laughed. "Helping Dr. Sane, if he knows what's good for him. I told him he was not needed here. I could tell he was real disappointed not to see you again," Sandor winked.

"I could have safely worn a skirt, then?" Nova replied with a frown. Derek laughed.

A door opened behind them. Santiago came running in, pausing for a moment to salute Derek, then continued to her station.

Sandor took his seat at the command console, and motioned for Derek to sit next to him. He pointed to the radar console and said, "Nova, you're welcome to sit down near operations. Your advice and opinions will be valuable, as a veteran bridge officer." She nodded her thanks, and sat beside Fujita as Santiago began pushing buttons. "Santiago, get the _Gemini_ ready for launch." She nodded as a microphone came up from her console.

"Engine room, power to 1500. Two minutes to engine start."

A voice crackled over the intercom. "You got it, bridge. Engine room out."

Santiago slumped down into her chair. "Wow, that wasn't so bad." She grinned at Kitano. "Maria Santiago," she said, offering her hand.

He took her hand, and replied, "Kitano Tetsu, and that was the best command voice I've heard in a while."

Santiago smiled and said, "Oh, you and I are gonna get along just fine."

"Dunlap, report to Command that we are ready to get underway," Rolaski barked. "We don't want to be late for our maiden voyage."

"Aye, sir," Dunlap responded. "Command, this is _Prometheus_, reporting ready for liftoff. Please acknowledge."

A few seconds passed, and then a reply came over the bridge speakers. "_Prometheus_, this is Command. You are cleared for takeoff."

Sandor was monitoring the _Prometheus'_ com signals. "Okay, it's our turn. Kitano, would you let Command know that we're ready?" Sandor pushed a few buttons on his console.

"Aye, sir. Command, this is escort craft _Gemini_, ready for take off."

Nova looked back at Derek and winked. He looked back and smiled. This was almost as exciting as the first launch of the _Argo_.

Santiago turned. "Captain, _Gemini_ is ready." Derek could feel the surging of the _Gemini's_ engine as the ship powered up. Through the bulkhead, he could hear the whine of the _Prometheus'_ flywheels increasing in speed. He looked at some of the monitors on the captain's console, showing various parts of the _Prometheus_ so Sandor could keep an eye on the ship. One of the external cameras showed several technicians outside the ship. They appeared to be saluting.

Sandor picked up a microphone. "Sandor to Dunlap, _Gemini_ is ready."

Dunlap responded. "_Prometheus_ is under way, Captain."

Sandor nodded. "Santiago, follow the _Prometheus._"

"Taking us out, sir." Santiago threw some switches and pulled the throttle back, engaging the auxiliary engines. The _Prometheus_ had already cleared the docking bay doors. Outside the gate were several vessels, both private and commercial, all taking pictures. Police skiffs were buzzing around trying to keep the vessels out of the way. The _Prometheus_ passed them and headed out to open sea. Santiago increased the throttle once they were clear of other ships, skimming the surface of the water.

"Why all the fuss?" Derek asked, watching the flutter of ships.

"Word got out that we're launching a ship that uses alien technology. Apparently, it's a big deal." He turned towards the front of the ship. "Santiago, start the main engine once we clear port."

"Yes, Captain." Derek could see her whispering something to Kitano, causing Kitano to blush, but Derek could not hear what it was.

The _Prometheus_ was gaining speed, so Santiago increased speed to keep up. When the _Prometheus_ lifted from the water, Santiago started the main engine. As the ship lurched upwards, Derek couldn't help but remember Kitano's first liftoff, which almost beached the _Argo_ on a small island. He later found out that this is what Santiago was whispering to Kitano – "Watch how it's done, beachcomber."

"_Prometheus_ will clear the atmosphere in five minutes, sir. We're having trouble keeping up."

"Good. Keep her steady," Sandor answered. "Looks like Rolaski's showing off for the press." He threw a few switches, and picked up a microphone. "_Gemini_ to _Prometheus_. Let's keep her at half speed for now, okay, Admiral? If you get too far away, I can't get accurate readings."

"As you wish, Captain, but you're not going to get very realistic readings if you insist on keeping a leash on us."

Derek looked at Sandor. "What's he trying to do?"

"Trying to show us who's in charge. Santiago, distance to atmospheric boundary?"

"1400, Captain."

Sandor seemed satisfied with the readings he was seeing. "_Prometheus_, set course for the moon. We'll do a few orbits and test out the scanning equipment first, then head for the asteroid field for some target practice."

"_Prometheus_ is in space, sir," announced Dunlap. This was followed by the sound of clapping from the rest of the bridge crew.

"Wildstar, there's nothing much to see until we reach the moon, care for some coffee?" Sandor stood. "Nova, you're welcome to join us."

Nova waved them off. "No thanks, I want to stay here for a bit." She smiled at Derek.

Sandor smirked. "I promise the coffee here is much better than the stuff we had on the _Yamato._" Nova put on a mock pout and tossed a data pad stylus at him. Sandor ducked and started down the stairs to the lower deck. "Kitano, let us know as we approach the moon."

"Yes, sir."

The mess was smaller than most they had been in. They sat alone, since all crew-members were at their stations. The kitchen crew was just starting up their equipment, so there was nothing to eat yet, but coffee was always available for those who had difficulty adjusting to the lack of night and day in space.

"What comes after the gunnery tests?" Wildstar asked between sips.

"Warp testing," Sandor answered. "We'll head for Pluto and visit some of the survey stations for radar calibration."

"Will we get to see the new Wave Gun?"

"No. The Magna-Wave Gun still needs some simulation tests, and the energy transfer conduits for the collector pods are too unstable."

"Too bad, that would have been impressive."

"Oh, I'll make sure you're around for that. I doubt that we'll be ready for another few weeks."

"I ship out to Chicago the week after we return. I'll probably miss it."

"Lucky you. More pilot training?"

"Yes. I wish they'd put me on a ship. A real ship, not a scout ship."

"Wildstar, I know what you're looking for. There hasn't been any need for new battleships. Until someone retires, or we have a reason to commission a new ship, you won't be given a ship of your own. You'll just have to settle for the occasional scout ship."

Derek stared into his cup. "I can't help but think that command is trying to shield me. Not that I would have wanted the job, but was I even considered for the _Prometheus_?"

"You're being paranoid. Here's something to take your mind off it, though: if the _Prometheus_ is redesigned to be a real ship, she will need a captain. Rolaski will go back to his own ship when we're done with the test flights. The _Prometheus_, whatever it ends up being called, would be a new ship, and you would be available." Sandor tossed his cup into the garbage. "Think about it, Wildstar."

Before Derek could answer, Kitano's voice came over the intercom. "Captain Sandor! Report to the bridge at once!" They ran for the hall and ducked into an elevator.

"What's going on?" Sandor demanded as they ran onto the bridge.

Fujita turned and replied. "The radar's picked up movement near the Aquarian Sea. The _Prometheus_ is on her way to intercept."

"_Yamato_…" Derek whispered. When Aquarius was driven away from Earth, the water that was left behind froze into what was now called the Aquarian Sea. Captain Avatar's body was removed from the bridge of the _Yamato_ for a proper burial, but the ship was still encased in the ice. The Aquarian Sea was declared off limits to civilian spacecraft. "Maybe it's just a private transport doing some sight seeing."

"We'll know more in a minute," Fujita replied. "We're still too far away to ID them."

Rolaski's voice came over the speakers. "Captain Sandor, we have the ships on the main viewer. Computer's not coming up with a match, so we're assuming that they are hostile."

"There's a surprise," mumbled Derek.

Fujita hit a few switches, and the overhead panel lit up with an image. The ice was clearly visible, and part of the _Yamato's_ hull could be seen poking out, but if there were ships near it, they were too small to be distinguished from floating debris. The image slowly enlarged.

"Look at that!" Sandor pointed at the screen. Several small objects were heading away from the ice in a hurry. "They must have spotted us. Where are they headed?"

"Dunlap, raise those ships. I want to know who they are!" Rolaski shouted.

"Yes sir! Unidentified craft, this is the _Prometheus_. You are in restricted airspace, please identify yourselves." No response. "I repeat, this is the _Prometheus_, identify yourself." Still nothing. "Sir, they're either ignoring us or don't hear us."

"Follow them," Rolaski answered.

"I don't suppose the _Prometheus_ has any fighters on board." Derek asked half-jokingly. Had this been the _Yamato_, he'd already be in his Superstar Fighter.

"No, a ship is not given fighters until it's officially christened," Sandor answered. "She doesn't even have any Cosmo Hounds on board. Just escape shuttles." He looked up at the viewer, which showed the _Prometheus_ following the strange ships.

"What's that?" Four large ships suddenly appeared directly in front of the _Gemini_. "Santiago, evade!" he shouted without thinking. "Er, I mean… sorry, Sandor."

Sandor either didn't hear him or pretended he didn't. "Change course, 20 degrees to port, and drop 10!" Santiago adjusted speed and course to avoid the new ships, but the _Prometheus_ was changing course to intercept them.

Fujita looked back at Sandor. "Captain, there is no sign of the smaller ships. They might have warped, or boarded one of the new ships." He looked back at the radar. "Sir, the _Prometheus_ is –"

Sandor frowned. "I see it."

The four ships began moving apart to avoid the _Prometheus. _When they were clear, they turned towards the approaching ship.

Fujita turned and shouted, "Sir, they're aiming guns at the _Prometheus_!"

Sandor grabbed a mic. "Admiral, what exactly is it you intend to do?"

"Captain Sandor, I am assuming command of this operation."

"You're what? This isn't an operation, it's a test flight!"

"Those ships are aiming weapons at us, which is an act of war. We are now at battle conditions, which dictate that the senior officer must take command."

"Sir, with all due respect, I am in charge of this test flight. We do not have permission to engage any enemy ships, so we should radio EDF HQ before we take any action. I am relinquishing command to Commodore Wildstar, and since the _Gemini _is the lead ship in this 'operation,' to use your word, he is now in charge." Derek looked at Sandor with a pained look on his face.

"Regardless of the legendary Commodore Wildstar's past accomplishments, I still outrank him. The _Prometheus_ is the closest battle-ready ship in the area."

Sandor pounded his fist on the console. He looked up, and tried to contain his anger and frustration. "That is exactly my point! The _P__rometheus_ is not battle-ready! The armor is just tacked on to make it space worthy! There's no way she'll stand up to an attack!"

"Do you have any other suggestions, Captain?" Rolaski challenged. "We don't have time to debate this."

"Return to Earth. Warp out of their way. Anything, but we cannot face them head on!" He poked a few buttons. "The _Perseus_ is 15 minutes away. Radio Earth Defense Headquarters, they'll send her to inter-" An explosion rocked the ship, knocking Sandor off his feet.

Rolaski stared intently at the ships ahead of them. Dunlap shouted, "Admiral, the _Gemini_ has been hit."

"McGovern, open fire on those ships."

She turned to face Rolaski. "Sir, if Captain Sandor is right-"

Rolaski stood quickly and slammed his hands down on his console. "This is no longer a test flight; we are now at battle conditions. I will thank you not to question my orders!" His face was beet red as he glared down at McGovern.

"Yes sir!" she replied, hitting a few switches. "All forward guns, fire!" Under her breath, she mumbled, "Cross your fingers."

Sandor looked out at the approaching ships as the forward cannons of the _Prometheus_ rotated into position and fired. The ship that had fired on the _Gemini_ took a direct hit, and was knocked off course with the resulting explosion. The other three, however, turned towards the _Prometheus_ with no apparent regard for the first. The _Prometheus'_ side missiles fired, hitting another one of the ships, but the blast didn't cause enough damage to slow it down. The remaining two ships drew closer together and extended what appeared to be docking tubes.

Derek noticed it first. "What are they doing?" he asked.

The ship that had taken missile damage was now linking between the other two, forming a triangle. Sandor grabbed his mic, but before he could say anything, the three enemy ships, now joined, fired a massive energy beam at the _Prometheus. _The beam hit the ship's underside, ripping open a large hole and sending the huge battleship careening towards the _Gemini_. Santiago frantically attempted to avoid the _Prometheus_, and in doing so tilted the _Gemini_ violently to port. Nova screamed as she was thrown to the floor. Derek ran to help her up.

"You okay?" he said.

"Hang on, everyone!" Santiago shouted.

Nova looked around, attempting to dust herself off. "Yes, I'm fine. That'll teach me to be out of my seat during an attack." Derek looked back out at the enemy ships.

Sandor steadied himself and started shouting into the microphone. "_Gemini_ to _P__rometheus_, report status!"

There was static, followed by Dunlap's frantic voice. "We're having trouble controlling her!" There was some unintelligible yelling in the background, then after a pause, Dunlap continued. "We've lost our starboard engine!"

Santiago was trying to get the _Gemini_ back under control. Sandor looked up at the display and saw the _Prometheus_ spinning towards the frozen remains of the _Yamato_.

"That's probably the safety lock," Sandor shouted over the wailing alarm. "If the engine conduits rupture, the engine shuts down to prevent an explosion."

Morley cut in. "That must be what happened, then, because I can't get any response from it at all. Port engine is reading full power, but the ship is still spinning."

Sandor looked up at the display. "Will someone shut that damned alarm off?"

"McGovern!" Rolaski's voice boomed. "We have to hit them before they fire again."

She turned and replied, "Sir, our shock cannons are offline, and missiles were ineffective. Those ships must be shielded or something. Recommend we fall back and wait for reinforcements."

Silver pounded his console. "Either the radar's offline too, or they're jamming us. I can't get any sort of reading on them."

Admiral Rolaski stood and looked out at the enemy ships, which appeared to be circling for another attack run. "Charge the Magna-Wave Gun."

McGovern stood and her jaw dropped. "Admiral, the Magna-Wave Gun -"

"Is untested, yes."

Morley shot the Captain a sideways glance. "Sir, I can barely keep the ship steady, how are we going to aim the gun?"

"YOU'RE the navigator, Morley, which makes that YOUR problem," Admiral Rolaski said tersely.

"Captain, check out the _Prometheus_!" Kitano was pointing at the video panel.

Sandor's jaw dropped when he looked at the monitor. He looked at Derek and Nova in disbelief. "He can't be serious."

Derek looked up at the monitor to see the _Prometheus_ extending its SMITE pods.

McGovern was calling out a checklist from her station. "Magna-Wave Gun charging… I think. Energy collectors are extended and, well… they appear to be functioning. There doesn't appear to be any feedback indicator on them. Mike, try to steady the ship so I can get a lock."

"Doing my best," he replied through gritted teeth.

The firing trigger for the Magna-Wave Gun rose from her console. "30 seconds to firing," McGovern called out as she nervously grabbed the trigger and pulled the firing pin back.

Sandor looked at Derek. "If this goes as I expect, we may have to get out of here in a hurry." Derek nodded and motioned for Nova to return to her seat. "Fujita, what kind of readings are you getting from the _Prometheus_? My panel's not responding."

Fujita punched a few keys, and then turned to look at Sandor. "There's a large energy accumulation at the front of the ship."

Sandor looked up at the monitor, and saw energy rings forming around the SMITE pods. "Oh, no," he gasped.

Santiago wiped her brow. "What's going on?"

Sandor sat down. "No time to explain, Ensign. Kitano, establish command override protocols. Take control of the _Prometheus_."

Kitano sat back down and started flipping switches. "Aye sir, beginning command override."

Fujita pointed at the enemy ships. "They might be getting ready to fire again. The front ship is emitting an energy field."

"Hurry, Kitano, before…"

Rolaski stood and looked at the approaching ships. "Fire."

McGovern pulled the trigger. A loud surge from the front of the ship rose in pitch and volume. Then a deafening roar was heard from the center of the _Prometheus_.

"Captain, the _Prometheus_ is firing!" Santiago shouted.

Sandor stood. "Get us away from the _Prometheus_! Now!"

Out the front window, the crew watched the _Prometheus_ discharging an energy blast towards the enemy ships as the entire midsection of the ship began flying apart. Then the remainder of the _Prometheus_ was engulfed in an explosion that threw the _Gemini_ off course.

Santiago was climbing back into her chair. "Got to get us back under control!" she yelled as she grabbed the control sticks.

Somehow, Fujita managed to stay at his post. "Sir, there's no sign of the attacking ships. Oh, shit."

Sandor was trying to steady himself. "Fujita, watch your language! There are women present!" Then he looked up at the viewer, and said, "Oh, shit."

The fourth enemy ship, previously thought to be out of the fight, was now swinging around to attack the _Gemini_.

Sandor started pushing buttons, but nothing was responding. He pounded on his useless console. "We're sitting ducks out here. If the _Prometheus_ couldn't shoot it down, the _Gemini_ doesn't have a snowball's chance." Sandor turned to Santiago. "Do we have power enough to warp?"

The enemy ship rotated its gun turrets to aim at the _Gemini_, and was knocked off course by an explosion. A dozen fighters flew past it as a ship in the distance fired another volley. The enemy ship turned 90 degrees, accelerated, and disappeared into the blackness of space.

"_Perseus_ to _Gemini:_ come in! This is the _Perseus_, does anyone copy?"

Santiago finally managed to get the ship on a steady course, as Sandor sat back down and breathed out sharply. He picked up his microphone, and quietly replied. "This is _Gemini_. I'm not sure what our status is, but we need assistance."

"Copy, _Gemini_, we're on our way. A fighter squadron will stay with you until then."

Derek breathed a sigh of relief while Sandor started making a few notes on his data pad. "First test of Magna-Wave gun: failure. No, scratch that. Utter failure. Crew performance: Below Standards. Ship assessment: total loss."

The wreckage of the _Prometheus_ was examined, and a flood of reports was filed. A week later, the engineering team in charge of the "autopsy" concluded that the SMITE devices had shorted out the engine conduits, which caused the Magna-Wave compression chamber to overload and feed back into the remaining engine. Sandor told several boards of inquiry that he had expected this to happen, but Admiral Rolaski had ignored Sandor's warnings.

"Sorting through the red tape will probably take longer than building a new ship," Sandor sighed as he recounted this for Derek. Kitano and Santiago were also at the table. The four had joined in the café near EDF HQ to discuss the attack. "That's assuming that they will bother. They might look at the whole idea of alien technology as a costly mistake in both money and lives. We lost some good people up there."

"What's the official word on the enemy ships?" Kitano asked.

Sandor looked off in the distance. "The three that combined vanished without a trace, not even wreckage. I don't think the _Prometheus_ actually hit them, I think they warped out. The one that almost fried our bacon managed to get away as well, but there were some fragments left behind from the _Perseus'_ attack. We're examining them, but so far haven't learned anything."

Kitano munched away on his sandwich. "So we don't know who attacked, why, or whether we'll see them again."

"That's about it," Sandor frowned.

"Well, that's just great," Kitano said. "Just when I was getting used to the peace and quiet around here. What did they want with the _Yamato_, anyway?"

"Curiosity, perhaps. You have to admit, it is a bit unusual to have the remains of a battleship orbiting the planet inside a giant ice cube," Santiago said with a laugh, then she looked at Derek and noticed he wasn't laughing. She added quickly, "no disrespect intended, Commodore."

Derek grinned. "None taken." He was only half paying attention anyway. Something was happening, and he knew he would be – _had to be _- a part of it.

Derek had a few more days before he had to ship out to Chicago, so he decided to spend some time on his boat. His father once had a boat, which Derek and Alex used during the summer months for fishing, snorkeling, and just wasting time. When Derek revealed to this to Nova, she insisted that he get a boat of his own. She felt that they both had missed out on much of their younger years because of the planet bombing. So, as a first anniversary gift to themselves, they bought a 30' pleasure boat. Nova christened it _Spirit of Yamato_, and they spent their first anniversary cruising.

Derek had gotten to know several other people down at the marina where the _Spirit of Yamato_ was docked. One of them, a short man named Paulson, kept challenging the others to a race, but only one or two would bite at the idea, so it was dropped. Today was no different – Paulson was bragging about how fast his boat was. For some demented reason, he had called it _Zordar's Revenge_, because, "some day, Zordar's people gonna wonder what happened to him, and they gonna come looking. When they get here, I guarantee that they gonna be pissed."

"Hey, Wildstar!" Oops, Paulson had seen him. He was hoping he could sneak onto his boat and get away without being noticed. "Come 'ere!"

Derek dropped his gear onto the dock and walked over. "Paulson, I told you, I am not –"

Paulson cut him off. "Now, wait a sec, you haven't heard the stakes."

"Stakes? What could you possibly offer?" Derek was trying not to sound too impatient.

"Ah, not what I'm offerin'. The harbormaster's offerin' 25,000 as part of a marketing campaign."

"Is he betting one of his boats against us?" The harbormaster sold boats on the side, and Derek figured he was trying to show how fast his new stock was.

"Yep. He says his new Clearwater 3000 can beat any of our little dinghies. You up for a race?" Derek almost said no straight out, but 25,000 was a lot of money. Not that he and Nova were hurting for it - the EDF and Central paid well, and they had nice little savings accounts from the "bonuses" paid to them as "thanks" for saving the planet so many times. This had been the topic of many a humorous discussion – how exactly does one put a price on saving the planet?

"Well, I don't know. _Spirit of Yamato_ isn't really built for racing. I'd be out of the race before we hit the first marker." Derek knew that the _Spirit of Yamato_ was fast, but he really didn't want to admit that the idea intrigued him.

"Aw, come on Commodore, what can it hurt?" This was from a tall man named Stocker. "If he wins, what have ya lost?"

"When is this race, anyway?" Derek was hooked, and the others knew it.

"Tomorrow afternoon, 1:00." Stocker replied. "We start here, and race out about 30 miles or so, then turn and come back. Not even you could get lost, Wildstar." The others laughed at this. Derek had gotten lost in fog one evening, and needed a Coast Guard cutter to escort him back to port. The guys at the marina thought this was just too funny, a great space captain getting lost at sea.

"All right, I'll be here."

"That's the spirit, Wildstar!" Paulson slapped Derek on the back. "I've been waiting for the chance to have you suckin' my bilge."

"You have such a way with words, Paulson," Derek said over his shoulder as he scooped up his gear and headed for his vessel.

Derek went out until he couldn't see shore. There wasn't another vessel for miles. _Quiet day_, he thought. Usually this area was crawling with other boats, but this was a workday for most. He baited a fishing hook and tossed it out, then attached the rod to a clamp on the side of the boat. He didn't expect to catch anything, but he tried anyway. He hadn't eaten fish for dinner in a long time, but had resolved that his next fish dinner would be something he caught. After this week, it would be a while before he got another chance.

He lay back and looked up at the sky. He couldn't see the stars, but he knew they were there. And somewhere among them, there was an enemy. Yet another thing he tried to put out of his mind. The race - that's something he should be thinking of. Nova was going to think he was being a bit too much of a child with this one. Why was he doing it, anyway? Paulson would finally be off his back about it, and he supposed it was for a decent cause. Maybe he was just rationalizing it so he'd feel better, but he knew what Nova would say. She'd knock on his head and shout, "Anyone home in there?" the way she did when he did something stupid. Years ago, they had seen an old movie about a kid who traveled through time in a flying automobile – one of the characters would knock on heads shouting, "Hello, anybody home?" This became a little joke phrase between the two of them, as it probably was back in the 1980's when the movie was made. Derek chuckled at how silly such a concept might have been 225 years ago when cars did not fly, but now, warp travel was a reality. Could time travel be that far off? The Black Nebula Empire had tricked them into believing that they had traveled through time, but it was just that – a trick. Could people travel time?

He was shaken out of his dreams by a beeper on the rod clamp. He jumped to his feet and grabbed the rod, starting to reel in the line. Whatever it was, it was not going to come along easily. He struggled with the rod, then set it back in its clamp so he could grab a net. He pulled the line in a bit more, until he finally managed to get the fish to the surface. In all the splashing around, he couldn't quite tell what he had caught, but he scooped it up to get it onto the boat. When it finally stopped thrashing around, he was able to grab a book and look up the fish.

"Wow, a marlin!" he shouted to no one. "I didn't think there were any of these left!" Many fish had died out when planet bombs had irradiated the Earth; only the ones that had been saved by preservation groups had survived. They were in such a hurry to grab as many different kinds of fish and animals as possible that not all of them could be cataloged, so occasionally someone would come across an animal that was presumed gone forever. However, there were no more whales, nor were there any dolphins or many large fish. There just wasn't room underground for that much water.

He looked down at the marlin, which was still twitching. "And there may not be any fish at all if people catch a whole lot more of them." He removed the hook and tossed the fish back into the water. "I guess you're the one that got away."

Far off in space, someone else was watching a small fish. Only, if he had his way, Earth would not be the one that got away.

"Lanis?"

"Yes, my King?" Lanis stepped forward and dropped to one knee.

"Is the attack fleet ready?"

"Yes, my King. They will begin their raids tomorrow, midway through the Western Hemisphere's light period."

"What about their detection grid?"

"Our sources say that it is not yet online. We can slip through unnoticed."

"If their defenses are as pathetic as that ship our scout party reported, this will hardly be a battle." He rose and hit the floor with the tip of his cane, causing sparks to fly from the metal tip. "And this time, they won't have their beloved _Yamato_ to bail them out."

That night, over dinner (pasta, since Derek didn't manage to catch anything he could convince himself to bring home) he told Nova about the race.

"Oh, really?" She raised one eyebrow. "And what possessed you to sign up for this?"

"I have no idea. Wild oats, perhaps?" He grinned, but it was lost on her.

"Well, I don't think I want to know. All I want is for you to not wreck the damn boat and get yourself killed."

"Oh, come on, I've been on much more dangerous trips than a boat race."

"So that means that you need to go looking for trouble?" She tossed down her fork and ran into the living room.

He stood and followed her. "Nova! Come on, it's just a race! Why are you so upset?"

"I don't know! I feel like we've been leading a charmed life. We've been lucky. It just doesn't sit well with me for you to go out and look for something that could kill you." She turned and looked at him. "We've been married almost four years; I am not ready to be a widow! There have been so many times I thought I would lose you! Can't you see what it does to me?"

Derek took her in his arms. "Nova, if it bothers you that much, I'll back out. I hadn't thought of it that way. Maybe I am so used to winning that I've gotten a bit complacent. The 'nothing can touch me' outlook on life."

"You won't have Durasteel armor surrounding you out there, or triple deck cannons to knock out your enemies." She almost smiled. "But you will need a first mate."

"Nova?" Derek was completely confused. "But… you just got done saying…."

"That I worry. Yes, I do. On the other hand, it is only a boat race, and I am not going to tell my husband that he can't go out and wave his manhood in front of his friends."

"That's NOT why I am doing this!"

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But if you're going to be out there, you're going to need someone to help. That boat is tough enough for one person when you're not in a hurry, but in a race, you'll need someone to steer while you play with the sails."

"Nova, there are no sails on the _Spirit of Yamato_."

"Well, so much for that excuse." She grinned. "Come on, dinner's getting cold." Derek realized that he was never going to understand women, even if he lived to be 100.

"Uncle…"

"Mmfm."

"Uncle…"

That voice. It sounded so distant, yet it was right beside him.

"Uncle Derek, please listen."

No, it couldn't be.

"Sasha?" He sat up in bed, looking over at Nova. She was still asleep. He then looked over at the window and saw Sasha standing… no… hovering at the foot of the bed.

"Uncle, there is great danger. You will be called upon once more to fight for peace. Please, my brave uncle, please take care."

"Sasha!" The image grew brighter and blinded him. "Sasha, come back!"

Nova woke up and found Derek staring at the window. "Derek? What is it?"

He was squinting at the morning sun mumbling, "Sasha."

"Yes, you said that. What about her?" Nova held him.

"She said 'you will be called upon once more to fight for peace.' Then she said to take care."

"Derek… you're feeling way too much guilt over her."

"Nova, this isn't just guilt. These nightmares are a warning."

"Derek," she started, but he was already up and heading for the shower.

At 12:00, Nova and Derek were in the _Spirit of Yamato_, making sure everything was working properly. Derek had given it a quick check the day before, but this time they brought along a checklist that had come with the boat when they bought it. She apologized several times for her hysterics the night before, but Derek did understand, at least partially. All sorts of things could go wrong, especially when you're traveling at high speeds. These boats were not like the high-speed jet-propelled patrol craft used to keep gawkers out of military bases, but standard, ancient combustion engine types owned by people who looked back on the late 1900's and early 2000's as "the good old days." Derek had been a big fan of this period in school, and read many books about the events that lead up to the last World War. World War III was a schoolyard brawl compared to the Gamilon attacks, but had the planet bombs not covered the Earth with radiation, America and the Middle Eastern area of what was once called Europe might have taken care of that with nuclear missiles anyway.

They reached the end of the checklist, so Derek pulled away from the dock and towards the starting line. Several other boats were already there, but he did not see Paulson yet.

"Maybe he chickened out?" Nova responded when Derek asked aloud.

"Not likely. Paulson's been on my ass for months, I highly doubt he'll miss this opportunity."

Just then, a loud klaxon went off behind them. Derek and Nova turned, and saw a wide gray cruiser pulling up aside of them. Paulson was waving at them.

"Hey, Wildstar! I see you brought your wife along to help pick up the pieces! Afternoon, Mrs. Wildstar!"

She nodded in his direction, but said nothing.

"You've got 15 minutes to finish your will, Wildstar. I'm gonna bury you!"

"Paulson, ever heard of 'friendly competition?'" Derek shouted.

"What of it?" Paulson laughed.

"Oh, nothing." Derek looked over to Nova. "I'm planning on staying out of his wake. He drives like a madman."

Nova tossed Derek a cracker, which he caught in his mouth. "I can guess, and I haven't ever seen him drive before."

A man with a bullhorn appeared on the dock behind them. "CAN I HAVE EVERYONE'S ATTENTION, PLEASE?" He waved a red flag, motioning for everyone to look in his direction. When everyone had quieted down, he continued.

"THANK YOU. WELCOME, ONE AND ALL! AS YOU ALL KNOW, YOU'RE ALL ABOUT TO GET SWAMPED BY BIG JEB."

"Big Jeb?" Nova asked.

"The harbormaster. Jeb Coltrane."

"BIG JEB, IN HIS CLEARWATER 3000, IS GONNA RUN CIRCLES AROUND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU." This was answered by loud booing. "IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAT ONE OF YOU ACTUALLY DOES BEAT HIM TO THE FINISH LINE, YOU'LL GO HOME WITH 25,000."

"Is that why, Derek? You know darn well we don't need the money."

"Yes, I know. There's more at stake here."

"And that's the part you can't seem to explain to me," she sighed.

"Right."

"SO, IF EVERYONE IS READY, WE'LL GET THIS RACE STARTED. YOU WILL HEAD OUT TO THE 40-MILE MARKER, TURN, AND THEN HIGH-TAIL IT BACK HERE. OF COURSE, BY THE TIME ANYONE GETS BACK, BIG JEB WILL HAVE ALREADY BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH FOR HIS ENGINE TO COOL OFF." More booing from the crowd. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, START YOUR ENGINES!"

Those who were already running their engines revved them loudly. Derek sat down and looked out at the open sea. "You all set down there?" he called back to Nova.

"No, but let's do this anyway!" She almost sounded like she was enjoying herself. The excitement was undeniable.

"ON YOUR MARKS…."

More revving.

"GEEEEEEEEEET SET!"

Derek looked around, and saw Paulson waving his fingers in a "V" to the crowd. _Clown_.

A loud horn sounded, as the announcer shouted, "GO!!"

A dozen boats roared out of the dock. Derek slammed the throttle forward, and heard Nova yelling as she tried to stay in her seat. He had never opened it up all the way, and was surprised at how much power was in this little boat. _Zordar's Revenge_ was right next to him, but Paulson was making a show over the fact that he was only at ¾ throttle. He waved, then threw it into full power and shot past them. Derek was not the head of the pack, but he was definitely not the last.

Nova was pointing at other boats. One of them, the _Cobra_, was skimming way too close to other boats. Derek couldn't tell if the driver was just inexperienced, or if he was deliberately trying to spook other boaters. Whichever it was, the guy almost caused two accidents, and was heading for a possible third. Derek steered well clear of the guy and kept looking ahead.

Derek had estimated about a half an hour until they reached the marker, then maybe another half-hour back. There was no way he was going to win this race, but he didn't want to be the last one to finish either. There were seven boats behind him, and he was gaining on two more. Paulson was way out in front.

"What's he got in that thing?" Nova shouted.

"Too small for a wave motion engine," Derek laughed. He passed the first, then the second of the two nearby boats, and kept going. The drivers of those boats waved as Derek passed. _At least some of them are friendly about it,_ he thought as he waved back.

As they got closer to the marker, Derek noticed that the wind was picking up. He had checked the weather charts before the race, and saw nothing resembling a storm, but before he could ask Nova to re-check the weather systems, the boat in front of him turned sharply and capsized. Derek barely avoided it, and stopped the boat to check on them. Before he could say anything, the boat exploded. Nova screamed, and ducked behind the side rail. "Derek, look!" He looked down at her, and then where she was pointing.

Just as he looked up, ten small black craft flew overhead. He turned to follow them and shouted for Nova to get inside the cabin. She ducked through the door just as the ships turned and came back. Some of them started firing at the boats; the rest flew towards shore and took shots at buildings. Derek followed Nova into the cabin and grabbed a radio.

"This is the _Spirit of Yamato_, calling mayday! I repeat - mayday! We are under attack by unknown ships. Requesting assistance!" The radio hummed, then a voice answered back.

"_Spirit of Yamato,_ we are already aware of the attackers, and are sending a squadron. Please keep the channel clear and get to safety if possible. Defense Station 4, out."

"Well, that was helpful." Derek put the radio back in its holder and looked back out at the attackers. They were circling around for another run. Any boats that weren't already shot to pieces were heading any direction they could. He spotted Paulson's ship in the distance, on fire and sinking fast.

"Nova, we gotta try to help him." She nodded her agreement. Derek ran back up to the pilot chair and slammed the throttle to FULL. The craft jumped forward towards _Zordar's Revenge_. Paulson was so busy trying to beat down flames with a blanket that he apparently had not noticed that his ship was taking on water. Derek blasted his horn a few times to get Paulson's attention. Paulson looked relieved at Derek's approach, when suddenly his face took on a look of horror as he pointed in the air. Derek looked back to his left, just in time to duck as one of the black ships dove and fired. The shot hit the front of the ship, reducing it to splinters. Derek was thrown through the windscreen and landed headfirst in the water. He surfaced as quickly as he could, sputtering and calling for Nova. He looked back at the sinking _Spirit of Yamato_ to see her standing on the stern, waving to him. She dove in just as another blast hit what was left of the boat. Wooden planks flew everywhere, raining down over Derek. He tried to duck his head under the water to avoid them, but instead felt his body being jerked upwards. A Coast Guard rescue ship had pulled up behind him, but he had been too shaken to notice the rope being dropped around him. He looked around to see a man in a diving suit jumping in to save Nova, and another one off to his right dragging Paulson into a lifeboat. Several fighters were now flying overhead, trying to chase the enemy planes away from the populated area.

Nova was dragged onto an elevator platform on the side of the rescue ship; Derek noticed that she was clutching a wooden plank. She refused to let go of it, so the rescuer shrugged and let her keep it. As Derek ran to help her onto the ship, he realized why the plank was so important to her – it was the nameplate from the back of the _Spirit of Yamato._

That evening, after medical examinations to make sure there were no serious injuries, Derek and Nova were sitting in an EDF briefing room with Commander Singleton and Lt. General Stone.

"Were there any markings on the ships at all?" Stone asked in his usual demanding tone.

"No, none," Derek and Nova both answered.

"Although, they were moving quite fast, it was hard to get a good look at them," Nova added.

Stone looked disappointed that no one had bothered to ask the enemy pilots what planet they were from. He snorted loudly, then said, "Commander, there are no military bases in that area. At least the other attacks made sense."

"Other attacks?" Derek asked. "How many others?"

Singleton held up a report. "We fought off attackers from twenty different places this afternoon, all of them either military bases or shipyards. Their attack pattern is logical except for the ones attacking the boat race."

General Stone waved his pipe at Nova. "Commander, they could have been after Commodore and Lieutenant Commander Wildstar."

"An assassination attempt? If that were the case, it's an elaborate one. Nineteen diversionary attacks?" Singleton rolled his eyes. "I am not discounting the possibility, but it's a bit of a long shot."

"Commodore and Lieutenant Commander Wildstar are not ordinary people anymore; they are heroes of the Earth. Their marriage has gained them quite a bit of publicity, as well. I am recommending that they be given a security escort and armed guard at all times."

"That's ludicrous!" Derek shouted. "We are not going to give up our privacy just because we happened to save the world a few times. General Stone, I will not agree to that. Nova and I have taken care of ourselves under far more dangerous circumstances."

"Commander, I – "

"I've heard enough, Stone. Whoever it was, they probably saw all the sea-going vessels and mistook it for a militia. They turned tail and ran rather quickly once they realized it was a boat race. I hope you were winning, Commodore." Singleton winked.

Derek smirked. "Against a boat called _Zordar's Revenge_? I was putting my heart and soul into it, Commander."

Singleton rose. "You are both dismissed. If we need any more information, we'll contact you." Derek and Nova stood and saluted. General Singleton returned the salutes, then left.

"Derek…" Nova began.

"I know. And we're right in the middle of it."

"Your attack was successful, Lanis."

"My King, we have succeeded in confusing them. They have no idea who attacked, or why, or what the objective was."

"Perfect. The first blow against an enemy should merely confuse them. Then, while they are unprepared, and trying to figure out where to send their forces, we hit them again. Is the second line fleet ready?"

"Yes, my King. They are waiting for you to give the order."

"The order is given."

**Pluto Observation Base – 0040 hours, Earth time**

Eager paced the floor of the control room, looking up at the monitor every few seconds. He didn't really expect it to change, but all the years he spent on the _Yamato_ taught him to expect the unexpected. He paced some more, then walked over to a control panel and poked a few buttons.

"Jackson, any updates?" Eager barked.

"No sir, B sector is still down."

"Can you add more hands?"

"Sir, we woke up four people who already worked a double shift. We're doing all we can down here, and your interruptions every 10 minutes are just keeping me from my work. Now, stop telling us to do our jobs, so we can do our jobs!" The com went dead, then clicked on again just long enough for the voice to add "sir!" Eager was left standing there dumbfounded.

Jackson was right - everyone was doing what they could, and he was expecting a lot from them. The Eye in the Sky project was two weeks behind schedule, and EDF Command was expecting something to be online by tomorrow. The best they could do, Eager told them, was to have four sectors up and aimed towards unknown space, but the rest of the grid would not be up for another week and a half. General Stone was not happy about that, but then he never was completely satisfied with anything. Eager decided that there wasn't much else to do but take a nap. It had been 48 hours since he slept, and a two-hour nap might do some good…

An alarm jarred him awake. "Commander Eager, we got something!" Eager shook the sleep from his head and looked at the monitor. It suddenly occurred to him that in his haste to get in some sleep, he had dozed off at his terminal.

"What's goin' on?" he asked sharply, trying to hide the fact that he hadn't been awake.

"Sir, we got inbounds on Sector B, Grid 12! A LOT of them!"

"Inbounds? When did Sector B go up?" Eager realized that he had no idea to whom he was speaking.

"It's not completely operational. We were running some tests when we picked up some blips. We thought it was a malfunction, but we've confirmed it. Looks like a huge armada."

"A Gamilon patrol?"

"No way to tell until they get closer. The identification system's not connected to the grid yet, so we have to wait until they are closer to Brumis."

"Wonderful. If they're unfriendly, the only way we'll know it is because they'll be shootin' at us!" He punched some keys to change signal frequencies. "Pluto Observatory to Earth Defense Headquarters! Come in please!"

"This is EDF, Pluto. You are using a military channel, please –"

"I know what the hell channel I'm usin'! There's a large fleet headin' for Brumis, and we have no way of identifyin' it. I need a recon ship out here, and fast!"

There was a pause, then, "Stand by, Pluto." A few more seconds passed, then, "Eager, is that you?"

"Homer?"

"Hey, Eager, what's going on up there?"

"Eye in the Sky is pickin' up a large fleet, but we can't tell what it is yet. You got any recon ships in the area? We're still deaf and dumb up here."

"Closest ship in your area is the _Gideon. _She can be near Brumis in about 20 minutes."

"So can the inbounds."

"We're sending the orders to the _Gideon_ now, Eager. Sit tight. EDF out."

_Sit tight_, he says. _Not much else I can do up here. _Then another voice came over the con.

"Commander, did I hear correctly? Eye in the Sky is online?"

"Not completely, General Stone." This was going to be a long day.

"A scouting mission, you say?" Captain Warren Morrison asked. "I suppose anything would make for a nice diversion from circling empty space. Thomas, warp to Brumis."

"Yes sir!" Ensign Thomas flipped a few switches and put his hand on the warp lever. "Course data?"

Ensign Chavez looked up from her display. "Navigation computer is set, Bill."

"Okay. Warp!" He yanked the lever towards him, and the ship flashed off towards Brumis.

"Sir, our fleet is approaching the outer rim of their galaxy."

"Excellent. How long until we're within range of the planet they call Earth?" War Commander Shir'Pa of the _Voracious_ stood to look over his crew.

"Present speed, three days," the navigator answered. "Two hours if we use the fold drive."

"No hurry. We already know they can't detect us, and even if they could it's not like there is anything they could do about it. We'll be landing on Earth before they even know we're here."

"Sir, a large ship just appeared near the outer planet."

"Put it on the view screen." The _Gideon_ appeared on the display.

"Your orders, sir?"

"Need you ask? Turn it to floating debris." The Commander cracked his knuckles.

"Weapons ready, War Commander," the weapons master reported. "In range in two minutes."

"Captain Morrison, we have visual of the fleet."

Morrison stood and squinted at the display. "Any match?"

"Negative, sir, no match."

"Captain, they are training cannons on us!"

Morrison sat back down. "Brace for attack and prepare all guns. With any luck, this won't end up messy."

"Let's hope not, we're vastly outnumbered."

"War Commander, the ship is in range."

Shir'Pa grinned. "Open fire."

The guns on the front and side of the _Voracious_ fired. The energy beams surged towards the _Gideon_.

"Captain, we're being fired upon!"

Morrison stood and gaped at the approaching beams. "Helm, evasive-"

The captain never got the chance to complete his order, as his ship vaporized around him.

"The ship has been destroyed, War Commander."

"Excellent. Stand down all weapons and continue towards Earth." Shir'Pa flexed his hand. "This should be easy."

Eager and his team were monitoring the _Gideon's_ progress. While they couldn't positively identify the ships, it wasn't too difficult to figure out what happened when the _Gideon_ disappeared from radar.

"Wilson! Get me EDF HQ pronto!" Eager shouted to one of his assistants.

"HQ online, sir!" came the reply.

"Earth Defense Command, this is Pluto Base. We've lost the _Gideon_. Repeat – we have lost the _Gideon_."

"We can see that, Commander." This was General Stone's voice again. "Can you ID the enemy ships?"

"Sir, all we can tell you is that they are nothing we have seen before. They are not Garuman, Comet Empire, Dark Nebula, Bolar, or Dinguil."

Silence.

"General Stone…"

"Commander Eager, get that grid operational. Defense Command out." The line went dead.

Jackson stepped forward. "If we don't recognize the ships, what good will –?"

Eager held up his hand. "One thing I have learned is not to argue with General Stone, regardless of how senseless his orders are. Let's get back to work. There's nothin' more we can do. It's in Earth's hands now." He had said the words, but he did not agree with them at all.

**Titan Defense Base – 0130 hours, Earth time**

"Titan Defense Base, this is Earth Defense Command."

The Ensign on duty sleepily hit the microphone switch. "Titan Defense here," he yawned.

"There is a large unidentified fleet headed towards Earth. Second and Fourth Battalions are ordered to intercept. Do you copy?"

This knocked the Ensign from his stupor. "Fleet? Is this a drill?"

"This is not a drill. Repeat – NOT a drill. Get those ships in the air! Defense Command out."

He changed channels, then keyed the mic. "Major Talford, this is Ensign Venture in Communications. Sorry to wake you sir, but we just received orders from EDF HQ to launch Second and Fourth Battalions. They've spotted a large fleet heading for Earth."

After a minute, a voice replied, "stand by, Ensign." There was a long silence, then Talford came back on. "I've alerted the commanders of those fleets. Did HQ give any other information?"

"No sir. Just that we are to intercept them. Nothing more."

"I understand, thank you Ensign. Talford, out." As the channel went dead, Jordan sat staring at the panel. This was not what he wanted to be doing, but for now, he'd do his part any way he could.

The two battalions – fifty ships total – launched within 20 minutes of the order. Some of the crew hadn't even finished putting on their shoes when the fleets hit space.

"Captain Chu to Captain Reynolds, acknowledge please." Captain Yong Chu was in command of the Second Battalion, a fleet of 35 battleships and escorts. The Fourth Battalion consisted of 12 carriers and 3 long-range missile ships.

"Reynolds here, Captain Chu. All ships report ready. Warp in one minute."

"Warp in one minute, check. See you at Pluto."

Both fleets warped, not knowing what to expect.

"Sir, there is a fleet warping into this area."

"On viewer, please."

The Earth fleet was appearing on the screen, as each ship came out of warp. Shir'Pa grinned. "Attack them as they come out of warp. They'll need a few minutes to charge their weapons."

"As you wish." The weapons master pushed a few buttons, sending the command to the other ships. Immediately, the ships began firing on the Earth battleships.

"All ships, open fire!" Captain Monroe of the _Laconia_ shouted out orders to his escorts. "Get the fighters out there and provide some cover! Martin, get Captain Reynolds on the – AAHHH!!"

The side of the bridge exploded as a missile hit the side of the carrier.

"Monroe! Come in, _Laconia_!" Captain Reynolds stood up as he watched the carrier exploding. "Dammit, this can't be happening. Okay, all missile ships, open fire!" He sat down and started checking monitors. "Richter, have we taken down any of the enemy ships?"

"Only a few, sir," the combat chief reported. "They have a longer range than we do. By the time we get into firing range, they're already picking us off."

"Hmm… This is all so familiar…"

"Sir, incoming transmission!" the radio operator shouted, his voice cracking slightly. Pat Romano had just signed on as ship's radio officer, but hadn't expected to see action quite so soon.

"On speaker."

A voice crackled over the speakers, amid the explosions: "Earth fleet, this is General Hizak of the Third Garuman Sol Battle Fleet. Are you in need of assistance?"

Captain Reynolds turned a ghostly shade of white. "Those Gamilon bastards," he whispered.

"Sir?" the radio operator turned to see his captain stepping towards the bridge window.

"Gamilon BASTARDS!!" Reynolds screamed at the air.

"Sir, they're Garuman…"

Reynolds turned and shot a look at Romano. "Gamilons, Garumans, same people. The same blue-skinned, black-hearted soulless demons that destroyed my home, killed my wife and son, and NOW they want to waltz right into our solar system and save us? Who the hell do they think they are?"

Ensign Morgan stepped up behind the captain and put her hand on his shoulder. "Sir, forgive my speaking out of turn, but the Gamilons are not our enemy. Look out the window, you'll see that."

Reynolds turned to the navigator, ignoring Morgan for the moment. "Port, 70 degrees, and raise the nose 20 degrees."

"Sir," Ensign Fry called out, "that course will aim us at the Garuman fleet."

"Just do it. Romano, open channel to Hizak."

"Done, sir."

"General Hizak, this is Captain Don Reynolds of the Battleship _Yorktown_, flagship of the Fourth Earth Battalion. Your presence here is an act of war. We demand that you withdraw your forces at once."

Fry stood up. "Sir! What the hell do you think you're doing? The Garumans are here to help us! Considering that our fleet is being shot to pieces all around us, I suggest we-"

Reynolds pointed at Fry, and shouted, "I didn't ask for your suggestions! Now sit down and await my order, or I will get someone up here who will!"

Fry looked at the Garuman fleet, then at Reynolds. He then walked to the bridge elevator and entered it.

Reynolds muttered "traitor" under his breath and stepped back to his command console. He started pressing buttons, and a "thunk" was heard from the front of the ship.

"Captain Reynolds, this is General Hizak. Our presence here is a part of our normal patrol route, which was approved by your Earth Defense Force. I assure you, we are acting with your government's support." He paused, then asked, "Can you assure me of the same?"

Reynolds was gritting his teeth. "Ten years ago, you killed my family. You destroyed my entire town. Everything I knew, you wiped out with a single planet bomb. But that wasn't enough. No, even after we defeated you, you kept on coming. Then you do an about face and we're supposed to just open our arms to you? Your leader makes a billowy speech to Commodore Wildstar, and suddenly we're all supposed to just forgive you for everything you've done?"

"Captain Reynolds, I am not sure what it is you're getting at. Emperor Desslok -"

"Hizak, you're supposed to be so advanced, you figure it out."

"Are you saying you blame me for a war that happened ten years ago? If I remember correctly, your world had a war between countries over two hundred years ago. Would you hold their descendants responsible?"

In all the confusion, no one noticed a shuttle leaving the _Yorktown_.

Hizak's voice came back over the communications channel. "Captain, we're reading an energy buildup coming from your ship, consistent with that of a Wave Motion Gun. You don't seriously plan to fire on us? I shouldn't need to remind you that doing so would not only break our treaty, but my ships would retaliate. Given your current circumstances, you hardly need another enemy."

Reynolds flipped a switch, and a trigger rose out of the console. "You're forgetting something, Hizak. Every one of Earth's wars eventually ended with a treaty signing. Your Leader Desslok never signed anything, therefore there is no treaty to honor or break. And as for your retaliation – bring it on."

Reynolds turned to the communications officer, and barked, "Romano, close the channel."

Romano was dumbfounded at what he was hearing, and almost didn't hear the order. He snapped out of his stupor and hit the switch.

"Sir, I must protest!" Ensign Monroe shouted. "If you fire, they'll fire back, and we can't afford to lose any more ships!" The battle outside had almost been forgotten.

"File a complaint with Major Talford." He looked down at his console, and mumbled to himself. "Firing circuit open. Goodbye, Gamilon scum." Reynolds reached for the trigger and looked up at the Garuman fleet on the monitor, but before he could act, an explosion knocked him from his chair. Alarms wailed all over the ship, signaling a hull breach. Reynolds pulled himself back up to his console. "What the hell happened??"

The display screen came on, with Captain Chu's face staring down at the bridge crew. Ensign Fry was standing behind him. "Don, you disappoint me. We're in the middle of a slaughter here, and you're attacking Garumans?"

"Yong, you fight your battle, and I'll fight mine."

"I already had to waste a perfectly good missile on your ship. Don't make me waste any more. The lives of your crew are more important than a petty squabble. Stand down and return to Titan. You're relieved of your command."

Reynolds pounded his fist on the console. "Romano, get someone up here to pilot this crate." He looked to either side as two armed men appeared. "I'll, um, be in my quarters."

Alarms. Everywhere he went on the ship, alarms were going off.

"Orion, what's going on?" No answer.

"Homer! Shut off that alarm!" Still nothing. Wildstar ran down another hallway, looking in a control room, but no one else was there. He ran in, beating on switches, but still the alarm continued.

"Someone turn that alarm off!!"

Someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned and saw Nova wrapped in a towel, dripping water onto the floor.

"Derek, didn't you hear the phone? I had to get out of the shower to answer it!" She handed the wet phone to him, then ran back into the bathroom and closed the door.

Derek stared, not having a clue what was going on, then put the phone to his ear. "Yes?"

"Wildstar! It's about time you answered!!"

"Good morning to you too, General Stone." Derek rubbed sleep from his eyes and yawned. He glanced over at the clock, which read 7:43am.

"Wildstar, how fast can you get to HQ?"

"An hour, maybe."

"Make it 30 minutes. We have a problem."

_Where have I heard that before?_

"Fine, I'll be there in 45 minutes." Derek hung up before the General could protest. He shuffled into the bathroom. "Nova, care for some company?"

**Defense Council Chambers – 0915 Hours**

90 minutes later, Derek was seated in a briefing room with Sandor, IQ-9, a bunch of generals, and Commander Singleton. It had been a while since Derek had seen so many generals in one place. The problem must have been pretty serious to get this much brass out of bed so early.

"Gentleman, again my apologies for dragging you all in here on such short notice. You'll soon see that this isn't a combat readiness drill." General Stone nodded to Sandor. "Mister Sandor, please brief the others."

"Sirs, at 0127 this morning, Earth time, we received a distress call from Commander Chris Eager on Pluto. A large fleet was spotted just beyond Brumis. The _Gideon_ was sent to investigate, but was destroyed." Gasps from around the room.

"At 0155, two fleets were dispatched from Titan. Out of 50 ships, only four returned." More gasps, and some swearing. "According to the crew, the enemy had a greater range and stronger firepower."

"Where is the enemy fleet now?" General Heinrich von Drach asked.

IQ-9 rolled over to a display panel and inserted a data tape into the console. A view of the outer solar system appeared. "The enemy fleet is now passing Pluto. They appear to be heading towards Earth, and are being pursued by a Garuman patrol fleet."

"Garuman?" Derek asked.

"The crew of the _Yorktown_ reported the Garuman fleet near the battle. The Earth fleet was almost completely destroyed, but the Garumans have not been attacked. I compute an 80 probability that the enemy is not interested in Garuman."

"Or the Garumans have new weaponry, and are trying to catch us off guard for an attack," suggested General Bill Dunlop.

IQ-9 beeped a bit, then replied, "Based on Desslok's past actions, I only compute a 2 probability that the enemy fleet is of Garuman origin."

"So what do we do about it?" General Thurman Marcus asked. "We can't just sit here."

"We can't go rushing in without knowing our enemy, either," Derek replied. "Captain Gideon made that mistake."

"How do you propose we learn about them? Send an ambassador's shuttle and ask to see their passport?" General von Drach sneered.

General Marcus looked over the data sheets in his hand. "What are the chances that these ships are the same as the ones that attacked the Earth yesterday?"

"And destroyed the _Prometheus_?" General Dunlop added, with closed eyes.

Sandor turned to IQ-9, who computed on this for a moment. "Based on the current data, I compute a 64 probability that this is the same enemy. However, until I have been able to analyze the recordings from the surviving ships, I cannot be any more accurate than that."

"How soon until we have those recordings?" General Stone asked.

"I should have them within the hour," Sandor replied.

"Then may I suggest we reconvene after lunch to go over your findings, after you and IQ-9 have had time to analyze them?" General Von Drach said, already getting out of his chair. "Otherwise, we're spinning our wheels on a bunch of conjecture."

"I agree," Stone nodded. "We will reconvene at 1300 hours. Gentlemen." With that, everyone stood and filed out of the room.

Derek walked up to Sandor. "Meanwhile, that fleet is still headed this way," he whispered.

"I know that, and you know that, but officially, _we_ don't know that."

"When was the last time a fleet entered the solar system that wasn't on its way to Earth?" Derek smirked.

"Yeah, and when was the last time mouthing off to the Defense Council got your point across?" Sandor nudged Derek in the arm. "Come on; let's go see if those recordings are here yet."

They took the train to the Science Center, and entered the communications area. They were joined by Homer Glickman, who brought over a box containing four data tapes.

"Here you go, Sandor. I wanted to handle this one myself," Homer said. "These are copies of the tapes from the _Ganymede_, the _Yorktown_, the _San Marcos,_ and the _Fuyuzuki._"

"Those are the only four surviving ships out of 50." Derek shook his head.

"Yes, unfortunately. I was also told to warn you, the log of the _Yorktown_ is… well… odd."

"Odd? How so?" Sandor asked.

"I haven't heard it myself, but apparently there was a disagreement between Captain Reynolds and General Hizak of the Garuman fleet."

"Disagreement?" Derek looked at Sandor quizzically.

Homer coughed. "Captain Reynolds was going to fire on the Garumans. Captain Chu of the _Ganymede _had to disable the _Yorktown_ before Reynolds could do any damage."

"Oh, great," Derek winced. "That's going to look good on a review board. We're in battle with an unknown enemy, and our ships are shooting at our allies and each other."

Sandor grabbed the box of tapes. "Right now, I don't think high command is going to care. That fleet is bound to be near Neptune's orbit by now. Homer, are you coming?"

"Wouldn't miss it." The three went into a room where they could play back the logs in private.

**Defense Council Chambers – 1305 Earth Time**

"So, what have you learned, Captain?" General Von Drach belched. He had obviously had way too much garlic with his lunch, and others were sliding their chairs away from him.

Sandor was putting a tape into the console. "This is a summary of our findings." He looked across the room at Derek and Homer, who were standing in the back by the door. "Based on data collected by Commander Eager's Eye in the Sky, the enemy fleet entered the solar system here." A star chart appeared, and the lights dimmed. Sandor pointed to a large group of dots, representing the enemy fleet. "They approached Brumis, took out the _Gideon_ here, and continued onwards where they engaged the Second and Fourth Battalions here." The star chart updated to show the battle with the two Earth fleets, which then disappeared from the display. "Based on the flight recorders of the four surviving ships, not only were the enemy ships of the same design, but fighters were seen in the battle that matched the ones that took out the _Prometheus_." A picture appeared on the display next to the star chart, showing three ships coming together to form one triangular configuration ship. The ship fired a massive beam of energy, which took out a carrier with one blast. The image froze. "This is the same type of ship that disabled the starboard Wave Motion Engine on the _Prometheus._ It is made up of three individual fighters that are able to link up and combine their energy into one beam. Based on these tapes, they can only do it once, then they have to separate." The image resumed showing the ships separating, as they flew off in different directions.

General Marcus spoke up. "So this is a single shot weapon."

"Single shot, but still effective, and it's possible that they could link up again later after a recharge." Sandor replied. "The one you just saw took out a carrier in one blast. A squadron of these fighters could take out an entire fleet. They're fast and very maneuverable – more so than our own Astro Fighter Mark III. I've seen them in action – the _Prometheus_ couldn't even take out one of them, and the _Gemini_ would have been destroyed if the _Perseus_ hadn't shown up when it did. If I were to offer an opinion -"

"We don't have time for opinions, Captain," General Dunlop interrupted impatiently.

"Very well," Sandor continued without missing a beat. "The data suggests that these ships could have taken out the _Perseus_ if they had wanted to. They were testing our capabilities and we failed miserably. Now, there is a large armada headed right for us, and once again, our fleet was wiped out."

"So what do you recommend?" General Von Drach asked. "Send some more disposable war ships?"

"Send in a full battle fleet." All heads turned to look at Derek, who up until now had kept quiet. General von Drach scowled, and looked disgusted that the young Commodore had dared to speak. "Not a bunch of carriers. Fighters didn't even dent them. Missiles had no effect, you saw that. We need seasoned battle veterans. Hit them before they can launch those multi-fighters, take them out, and send them home with their tails between their legs. Warp in from both sides, surround them, strike and strike hard. Use wave guns if we have to – they at least have longer range. Plus, we have a Garuman fleet following them that the enemy doesn't even seem interested in – has anyone thought to use them for intelligence? Maybe a pre-emptive strike to weaken and confuse them before we hammer them from the front?"

Everyone was silent. Derek was waiting for someone to tell him to shut up - the last time he had spoken out of turn, he was told that he didn't have the right to lecture the council, but perhaps his years of experience had earned him that right. Still, no one had asked for his opinion. Finally, General Stone turned to General Von Drach.

"How soon can a battle fleet be ready?"

von Drach looked surprised at the request, then composed himself. "Two hours, perhaps three. We have a few people on leave… we'll recall them at once of course."

"Gentlemen, opinions?" Stone scanned the room.

"They killed my son," General Dunlop whispered. Several of the other generals nodded in support.

Stone nodded, and said, "Do it. I want every available ship in the air in two hours. Our battle line will be drawn at Jupiter. Gentlemen, you are dismissed. I believe we have a war to coordinate. I will inform the Commander of our decision; I am sure he will back me up on this." As the generals left the room, General Stone turned to Derek. "Commodore Wildstar, I'd like a word with you."

_Uh oh._

"Sir?"

Sandor and IQ-9 were leaving the room. As he passed, Sandor leaned over and whispered, "And here I thought you'd learned your lesson."

Stone walked over and sat down on the edge of the table. He looked at Derek and said, "Of course, the _Gdansk_ is without a captain, now that Admiral Rolaski is, how shall we say, departed."

"Yes sir."

"I'm going to make some personnel changes, so the _Gdansk_ will have a new captain, but this will still leave a ship someplace without someone in the command chair. I can't stick someone up there on the Jupiter line with wet ears, though. You understand, yes?"

"Of course."

"What I'm getting at, is that, well, I may have to put you up there. It's against my better judgment, but I don't really have much choice in the matter. You've been in space before, and you do have battle experience. So, I'll let you know my decision in a few hours. Just thought I should warn you ahead of time."

"Thank you, sir."

Stone sat there a moment, then said, "Well, is there something wrong with your legs, Commodore? You're dismissed!"

Derek turned and left, closing the door behind him. Homer was waiting outside, grinning madly. He had obviously heard everything, and as soon as they got about 20 feet away from the council chamber, Homer burst out laughing.

"Oh, help me, PUHLEEZE! 'Battle experience?' 'Been in space before?' Wildstar, I can't think of anyone I would rather have in a command chair!"

Derek was trying not to laugh, but the joke was setting in. "Well, it's no secret that Stone never got over that whole mutiny thing years ago. As far as he's concerned, I can't be trusted. The fact that we all saved the planet a few times doesn't seem all that important. He'll swear that we just got lucky."

"Well, luck or not, I've never served under anyone more competent. Well, except maybe Captain Avatar of course."

"You've never served under anyone but me and Captain Avatar."

"Well… see? I'm not lying, then! Although, I have to say, you sounded more like Captain Gideon than Captain Avatar in there."

Derek gave Homer a crooked smile, then gave him a weak punch in the arm and said, "Get back to your post. I'll catch up with you later, assuming they aren't sending me into space. Which reminds me, I guess I should tell Nova."

"Yeah, she'll be thrilled to know that you're accepting command of a battleship again."

"Oh, sure. When I returned from my last deep space mission, she asked me if I wanted my own command again. What is it they say about being careful what you wish for? Me and my big mouth."

Homer turned and walked away. "See ya later, Commodore."

Derek walked down a different hallway, towards the train platforms. He took one to the center of the city, then transferred to another one to the west side where the hospital was located. Going into the lobby, he entered an elevator and took it to the floor where Nova usually worked. The doors opened, and he walked down the hall.

"Wildstar! Long time no see!" He entered the medical ward and saw the huge grin of Dr. Sakezo Sane beaming at him.

"Doc! How are you?"

"As well as can be expected, considering all they do is send sick people down here. What about you? How was your trip?"

"Dull."

"Yes, Nova said you're always looking for excitement. One of these days you might get it."

"Funny you should say that, Doctor Sane. There's a large enemy fleet headed this way, and… where's Nova?"

"She took some supplies down to one of the operating rooms. Enemy fleet you say?"

"Yes." He looked around to make sure no one else was within earshot. "We're sending up a fleet of our own, and I might be given command of one of the ships. I have to tell Nova."

"What!? Well, she should be back soon. Sit down; you look like you haven't slept in a week."

Derek took a chair next to one of the examining tables. "Well, I haven't been sleeping all that well, but it's just stress."

"What kind of stress could you possibly be under? You just said your last mission was dull." Dr Sane came over and made like he was going to give Derek an exam, but Derek waved him away.

"Well… it's a long story. I'm fine."

"Mm hmm." Dr Sane walked away and started shuffling through some things on a shelf. "That might work with your wife, but I'm your doctor." He pulled out a small bottle and slapped it into Derek's hand. "Take two of these and call me in the morning. I guarantee that you need them. People will thank you for taking them."

"Sleeping pills?"

"Breath mints." With that, he laughed and walked back to his desk. "Nova's in operating room number 12 if you want to go find her."

"Thanks, Doc… I think."

"Any time, Wildstar, any time." As he left, he saw Dr Sane pulling a flask out of a desk drawer. Derek shook his head, put the bottle of "pills" in his pocket, and walked down the hallway.

He entered the operating room area, and walked into OR 12. The red light wasn't on, so he assumed it was safe to go in. He saw a few nurses talking, and an assistant robot cleaning the room, but Nova wasn't here. Derek knocked, and said, "Excuse me…"

"Yes?" one of them asked. When she saw a military uniform instead of a medical uniform, she frowned and said, "You're not supposed to be in here."

"Sorry. Doctor Sane said I could find Nurse Wildstar in here."

"And you are?"

"I'm her husband, Derek."

"Oh!" She relaxed and said, "Sorry, I didn't know. Nova was called into OR 4 to assist with an operation. Can I get a message to her?"

"Please. Tell her to call me at the Earth Defense HQ as soon as she can. It's urgent."

"I'll get the message to her as soon as she's out of surgery."

"Thank you. Please make sure she gets that message." Derek left the OR area before someone else told him he wasn't supposed to be back here, and went back downstairs to the lobby. He took the train back to EDF HQ.

As he was entering the building, a woman carrying a data pad came running up to him. "Commodore Wildstar, sir!"

He turned to her. She stopped and saluted. He returned the salute, and asked, "What is this about?"

"Sir, Commander Singleton asked me to catch you when you returned to the building. He needs to see you immediately."

"In his office, I assume?"

"Yes sir."

"Thank you, Ensign." He turned and headed for the elevator that led to Singleton's office.

As always, there were armed guards on either side of the door. They came to attention when Derek approached, but demanded to see his ID badge. He flashed it, then the door was opened and Derek walked in. _I guess considering that the entire planet is on alert, the extra precaution isn't unwarranted._

"Ah, Commodore Wildstar, come in." Commander Singleton returned Derek's salute, and motioned towards a chair. Generals Stone and von Drach were already inside. Fortunately, von Drach had managed to rid himself of the garlic stench, as Singleton's office was much smaller than the Defense Council Chamber. Derek sat down, as did Singleton. "Now that we're all here, we can begin. Wildstar, General Stone mentioned some personnel changes to you earlier, yes?" Derek nodded. "The _Gdansk_ is due for a refit, and we were about to put her in dry-dock, but we need every available ship for this, so I am putting Captain Alexi Vladimirov Rolaski in the hotseat. You understand, I assume."

"Yes, sir." _How can one not understand Rolaski's son taking his father's old ship?_

"However, we do have a few other crew assignments open. We had to put Captain Peter Valsoris in command of the _Yorktown_ after Captain Reynolds' sudden… removal…. which leaves Captain Valsoris' battleship without a captain. So, I'm putting you in command of the _Hercules._ She's a heavy battleship, with a bit more firepower than you're used to, but I think you'll manage."

"Thank you sir."

General Stone scoffed. "The _Hercules _is a rather important part of our front line offensive, so try not to get it shot out from under you." Derek ignored the comment. After this many years of serving under Stone, it wasn't difficult to tune him out.

Singleton appeared to ignore the remark as well. "Commodore, the fleet launches in an hour. The _Hercules_ is already in Earth orbit, so a shuttle will be taking you to your ship in 15 minutes. I hope you had a chance to…."

"I left her a message to call me here, but we haven't had a chance to see each other."

"I'll be sure to pass on any messages," the Commander said in a quiet voice. "Now get going, Wildstar. Do us proud." He saluted, and Derek returned the salute. He turned, and left the office. von Drach looked up at Singleton as if to ask a question, then thought better of it.

There was an escort waiting for Derek outside the office. Derek was whisked to a shuttle, handed a command packet containing access codes, orders, and crew rosters, and before he had time to breathe, the shuttle was on its way to the battleship _Hercules_. Derek watched the Earth as it grew smaller beneath him, all the while wondering if Nova ever got his message. Then he wondered if he was even going to see her again. _Stop it,_ he told himself. _Now isn't the time to be thinking such things._

The shuttle entered the docking bay on the underside of the massive battleship. The _Hercules_ was larger than the _Yamato,_ had six cannons topside, four underneath, two mounted on platforms on each side, and three wave motion guns. It had re-enforced armor plating that could survive an impact with another ship. This was a ship built for war - the _Hercules_ was designed to be a front line assault ship, so Derek knew he'd be one of the first to see action.

_Me and my big mouth!_

He was greeted by his second in command, Lieutenant Commander Richard Rosen. Rosen was also combat chief, and led Derek to the bridge. The elevator doors opened, and everyone stood.

"Captain on the bridge!" someone shouted.

"As you were, people, we've got too much to do for formalities!" Derek shouted back. "Rosen, I'd like to address the crew."

"Of course, sir." Rosen led Derek to the captain's chair. Derek picked up the mic as people turned to look at him.

"Attention all hands, this is Commodore Derek Wildstar, your new captain speaking." As soon as Derek mentioned his name, he noticed a few bridge officers whispering to each other. Okay, so his reputation preceded him. "Some of you already know why we've been called to action in such a hurry. There's an enemy fleet heading for Earth which, by latest reckoning, is near Saturn orbit. We intend to intercept and defeat them near Callisto, the fourth moon of Jupiter. They've already wiped out the Second and Fourth Titan Battalions at Brumis. We know very little about this new enemy, only that they have long range weapons and powerful fighters. We have a fleet of thirty battleships ready to kick their asses, and we have just the crew to do it. Those of you who know anything about me know that I've never lost to an enemy, and I don't intend to start now. Engine room; be ready to get under way in 15 minutes. We warp for Callisto in 30 minutes. That is all."

Derek looked down at the bridge crew, and said "We'll have time for formal introductions later, guys. Right now, we have an enemy to flatten." Several men saluted, others raised their fists and cheered. _Well, at least I'm starting out on the right foot._

**Central Hospital – 1530 Hours**

_My feet are killing me!_ Nova walked into the locker room and stripped out of her operating room garb. She put her nurse's uniform back on, and rubbed her sore feet. _Must be time for new shoes again._ She'd have to give her cousin Natalie a call and see if she wanted to go shopping tonight.

She walked out of the locker room and heard a voice calling out to her. She turned to see Diane coming up behind her. "Nova, your husband was here. He said to call him at Earth Defense HQ, it was urgent."

"Oh, darn, I wish you had pulled me out of surgery!"

"He didn't say to."

"Probably because he couldn't. He'd have to offer an explanation, and… oh, never mind. Thanks Diane, I'll call him." She ran for a phone and dialed the switchboard at EDF HQ. The operator answered and asked for a department. "Can you page Commodore Derek Wildstar, please?"

There was a pause, followed by, "I'm sorry, Commodore Wildstar is not here."

"Where is he?"

"I'm sorry, I don't have that information."

"Fine, then connect me with General Singleton."

Another pause, followed by "General Singleton is not in his office, ma'am."

"Well, can you have him paged?"

Pause. "General Singleton cannot be disturbed."

"Look, I was told to call my husband. If he's not there, then General Singleton is probably the one that gave him the order to leave, so if you connect me wi-"

"Ma'am, I cannot give you any information on high ranking personnel without the proper authorization code. I need authorization to connect you with General Singleton ma'am."

"This is _Lieutenant Commander_ Nova Wildstar," she said through gritted teeth, emphasizing her rank. "My authorization is Delta Delta 772 Alpha 109 dammit!" She put her hand over her mouth as she looked around, then let out an embarrassed giggle. Funny, that last word wasn't part of her authorization the last time she had to give it to an EDF operator.

There was a pause. "Yes, ma'am, I'll see if he's available." Then after another pause, a female voice said, "Hello, how can I help you?"

"Who is this?"

"This is Major Nicole Jones, General Singleton's assistant."

"Nikki! It's Nova!" She was relieved that she was finally talking to a real person.

"Nova! Where are you?"

"I'm at Central! Where the hell's Derek? He said to call him, but the operator wouldn't tell me where he is!"

Nicole got quiet. "Nova… Derek's been assigned to the battleship _Hercules_. They're sending a fleet to Jupiter."

"Oh, no. That's why he was here… he wanted to tell me but I was in surgery. Can I come down there?"

"Of course. The fleet's already left; they're probably in warp by now. You can monitor the battle from here."

"Thanks, Nikki, I'll be right down." She hung up the phone, knowing somehow that it would all be okay, but still, she was very afraid. She went back to her locker to change into her civilian clothes. She felt a little guilty leaving in the middle of a shift, but she was also military, and that had to take priority today.


	2. 2 The Battle of Callisto

Callisto Orbit – 1620 Hours, Earth Time **Callisto Orbit – 1620 Hours, Earth Time**

The battle line had been drawn. The Earth fleet was assembling, heavy ships in the front, carriers in the rear, missile ships taking top and bottom positions. Based on latest intelligence, the enemy was half an hour away from Callisto, and this time the Earth fleet wasn't going to be picked off coming out of warp. Fighters were on standby, and shock cannons were ready. Ships that were equipped with wave motion cartridge guns had them loaded and ready.

Derek, however, had an alternate plan ready. There were just too many things that could go wrong here, and he didn't want to be caught off-guard.

"Sir, you did run this by command, right?" Rosen had asked him this three times.

"You know my history of following orders, Rosen," Derek had finally answered.

"That's precisely why I am asking." Derek offered no further reply, so Rosen went over his checklist again. The crew was ready and the ship was capable, but he didn't know this new captain. Sure, everyone knew of the great Derek Wildstar – he and the Star Force had saved Earth many times, but he also had a habit of doing things his own way. Rosen hoped that when things got hairy, this Commodore could be counted on to put his crew first. Wildstar had been sending coded transmissions between four other heavy ships and two missile ships, which it itself wasn't unusual, but Captain Valsoris always included Rosen in on his plans. Rosen wasn't used to being kept in the dark, and he didn't like it.

"Sir! We've got radio contact from the flagship." The communications officer broke Rosen's thoughts. He and Derek both looked forward to see what was happening.

"Go ahead," Rosen ordered.

"Enemy spotted four hundred megameters from Io, headed for Callisto. Estimate radar contact in twelve minutes."

Rosen looked back at Derek, who simply nodded. Rosen turned back to the communications officer. "Send back our acknowledgement." He turned to Derek and said, "So it begins."

Derek was looking down at his console. "Scared?" Derek asked quietly.

"Not a bit," Rosen said proudly.

"You should be," Derek said without looking up. "We don't know anything at all about this enemy. We don't know their capabilities, their home world, their firepower, their strengths, their weaknesses, nothing. Rosen, you've got a good service record, and I couldn't ask for a better combat chief, but if you were smart, you'd be scared."

"Sir, I-"

"Did you study Captain Gideon's battle against the Comet Empire fleet at Titan?"

"Of course. It's required reading at the academy."

_Academy indeed._ "Do you know what Captain Gideon's mistake was?"

"Mistake? He… he didn't make any mistakes. He was simply overwhelmed by a superior force."

"Bullshit. Maybe they don't like to admit that our great Captains are capable of making mistakes, but I'll give you a little piece of information. He underestimated his opponent. First he thought that a large battle fleet with the latest technology guaranteed him a victory, and by simply adding more ships, he could take on anything Zordar threw at us. He quickly learned that he was wrong. Then he assumed that once he gained the upper hand, it would be easy to keep it. He found a weakness, and he exploited it, and then Zordar showed up with the Comet Empire fortress and he blew the living shit out of the remainder of the Earth Defense fleet. Gideon didn't realize where the weakness of the fortress was until he didn't have enough ships left to do anything about it, and the _Argo_ was too badly damaged to take up the fight. We were too busy tending to our wounded to defend ourselves, so it was lucky that we were too far away from the battle to be noticed. Fortunately Captain Gideon still had a working radio so he could let us know what he had learned before the _Andromeda_ went down."

Derek stood and leaned on his console, staring down at Rosen. "Draco Gideon was a great man, and a great Captain, but his mistake was his pride. Never let pride dictate your actions. We have a great crew here, and our technology has improved over the years, but if that enemy outguns us and outnumbers us, we're still in for a hell of a fight. End of lesson. Report to your post."

"Yes sir." Rosen didn't quite know what to make of Derek's little speech, but he saluted and went to his station.

Derek looked up towards the window and looked out towards the stars. _And this time, we aren't going to have some willowy space goddess to bail us out._

"Attention all ships, this is the _Massachusetts,_ Commodore Tiala speaking. The enemy is in radar range, and will be in missile range in 2 minutes, shock cannon range in 5 minutes. Remember that they have a longer range than we do, so keep moving! All ships make ready to open fire. We aren't going to get a second chance at this, so no mistakes! All carriers launch torpedo planes and fighters. Heavy bombers make ready. Tiala out."

This was Commodore Sherman Tiala's first fleet command, and he tried not to let it show that he was nervous. He knew that Commodore Wildstar was onboard the _Hercules,_ and by all rights, he should be calling the shots here, but for some reason, the duty fell to Commodore Tiala. He didn't ask why, he simply accepted the job.

Derek looked back down at the bridge crew. "You heard him, guys, snap to! Gunnery units, you should have your coordinates by now! Missile tubes make ready!" Derek typed out a few commands on his console, sending some coded signals to several other ships. In a minute, replies came back in the affirmative, followed by a transmission from another fleet. Derek smiled. As he looked up, the sounds of cannon fire could be heard all around him, and his own ship began to vibrate. The battle had begun.

War Room, Earth Defense Headquarters – 1645 Hours

"Message from the _Massachusetts_ – they have engaged the enemy. Repeat: they have engaged the enemy."

"I see." General Singleton looked up at the chart of Jupiter and its moons. Then he looked over at Nova, who was sitting behind a plate glass window in a viewing area. She had arrived a few minutes earlier and was noticeably worried. He couldn't blame her, not being able to see Wildstar before he was shipped off in such a hurry. There were hundreds of men and women up there, all fighting for the safety of Earth, but Singleton's thoughts kept going back to Derek Wildstar. He was certainly one of the most accomplished and decorated Captains up there, and if it were entirely up to him, Wildstar would have been commanding that fleet, but the defense ministry decided that Wildstar was just too headstrong for the position. Perhaps if he didn't have such a long history of disobeying orders…

"Commander?"

"Hmm? Oh, it's you, Stone."

"Commander, I asked you if we had heard anything from the Garuman fleet that's been following the enemy."

"Not to my knowledge, no. They've been silent since their initial offer to assist. We've made a few attempts to contact General Hizak, but he has chosen not to reply."

"Why offer assistance and then give us static?"

"Can you blame him? He offers to help us, and Captain Reynolds tries to fire on him! Some gratitude we showed him. I'm surprised the fleet didn't turn around and go home."

"Well then what ARE they doing?" Stone pointed to the Garuman fleet. "See? Our fleet is here, engaged with the enemy, but the Garumans are here, off to the side. Watching us get slaughtered? Waiting for our fleet to get picked off, so they can come in and-"

"Stone, you're being ridiculous. We aren't at war with the Garuman Empire." Singleton turned back and stared at the monitor. _But you do have a point, Stone. What are you up to, Hizak?_

Callisto – 1705 Hours, Earth Time

"_Johannesburg_, on your left! Watch for-"

"This is the _Enterprise_! We've taken heavy fire! Our engine has-"

"Missile ship _Thomas Paine_ to any nearby fighters! Please provide cover! Our tubes are dry; we need cover so we can warp to safety. We need-"

The calls kept flying back and forth – ships begging for help, but not receiving it in time. The fleet was down to maybe half of its original number. As before, the enemy was taking out the Earth battle fleet before the Earth ships could get close enough to fire. A few of the Earth ships tried to line up to strike with wave motion guns, but this was an obvious tactic and the ship was shot out of the sky before the gun could reach 30 power. The fighters just couldn't cover all the ships, and the missile ships were running out of armament. They didn't seem to be having much of an effect on the number of enemy ships.

"Okay, I think we've had enough of this." Derek picked up a comlink. "General Hizak, are you ready?"

Rosen looked up at Derek. "Who is General Hizak?" Derek held up a hand.

A voice came back over the speakers. "We are ready, Commodore. We are sending coordinates to you now. Bring your ships in. Hizak, out."

Derek watched his console, then tapped a few buttons. "Helm, I am sending you some new coordinates. Take us there at best possible speed."

The navigator looked at his display, then said, "Sir, that's next to the Garuman fleet."

"I'm aware of that. We'll be joined by six other ships. You have your orders."

"Aye aye, sir." The _Hercules_ began to break away from the battle, and was shortly followed by six other ships. Almost immediately, Commodore Tiala's voice squeaked over the bridge speakers.

"Commodore Wildstar! You're leaving the battle? Where are you going?"

"To change the outcome of this fight."

"You're defecting to the Garuman Empire?"

"Not hardly. Just enlisting their services. _Hercules_ out."

Rosen ran up to Derek. "I hope you know what you are doing."

"That makes two of us," Derek mumbled.

War Room, Earth Defense Headquarters – 1725 Hours

"Message from the _Massachusetts:_ seven ships are leaving the battle!"

"What??" General Stone ran up to the communications officer. "Which ones?"

"The _Liberty_, the _Archimedes_, the _Forrest Sherman_, the _Hawk_, the _Babylon_, the _Perseus_, and the _Hercules_."

"WILDSTAR!!"

"Calm down, Stone, we don't know that he's got anything to do with this." Singleton motioned up towards the viewing area where Nova was watching the monitors. "Show some decorum, will you?"

"Commander, I know he's behind this. It has his name written all over it. You go look up mutiny in the military code of ethics and his picture is right there." General Stone turned to the communications officer. "Radio the _Massachusetts_ – who's the mastermind behind this little insurrection?"

Callisto – 1745 Hours, Earth Time

"Commander Shir'Pa, seven of their ships are heading away from the fighting."

"Retreating? The cowards." Shir'Pa grinned, and he cracked his knuckles loudly.

"Shall we send pursuit craft? They appear to be joining the Garuman ships that were following us."

"Those Garumans kept their distance, but they are beginning to bore me. Destroy them all."

"Yes, Commander." The orders were sent to the escort craft, and twelve pursuit ships sped after Derek's miniature fleet.

"Good, exactly as I predicted. They don't see us as much of a threat, but they don't want us to get away either." Derek was watching the incoming ships.

"I don't understand, sir."

"Of course you don't, Lieutenant, that's because you've been fighting simulators. Take a good look at the radar, what do you notice about the large enemy ship in the center?"

"It's half the size of a Gorba fortress, it has cannons the size of a small city, and it's pounding the snot out of the _Massachusetts_ and the _Alexandria."_

"Besides that."

Rosen stared at the enemy ship for a few seconds, then said, "Ahhh, her rear is unprotected."

"Now you're thinking. I'm assuming that to be their flagship. It's the largest, most powerful, most heavily protected, and it's been staying pretty far out of the battle. But they've left the rear unguarded."

"But sir, how can we possibly exploit that? The only way to get around her is through those escort ships. If we so much as approach her, those heavy guns will wipe us out."

"That's why we're heading for the Garumans. They have something we need."

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, Commodore."

"Then you didn't take Gamilon Battle Tactics 101."

"It's no longer a required class."

"Pity. I could teach that class. Oh well. Helm, time to rendezvous point?"

"30 seconds, sir."

"Excellent. All hands, man your posts." Derek flipped a switch. "General Hizak, looks like our plan worked, but you've got 12 inbounds to deal with once we're out of here."

"Leave them to us, Commodore Wildstar. Once your ships are in position, please report your readiness to proceed. Hizak out."

Derek chuckled. "Chatty guy, isn't he?" He watched the radar, using the display configuration that Hizak had given to him. Within a minute, all seven ships were inside the cone shaped area. He typed a message on his console, sent to all ships, and got affirmatives back.

"Enemy ships are almost in range, sir!" Rosen called out.

"That's okay. We won't be here when they start firing. Have all guns ready to fire on my mark." Derek switched to the Garuman's frequency again, and sent a message to Hizak. "General, we're ready. Activate the SMITE."

"SMITE activation in five seconds, Commodore Wildstar. There will be a moment of disorientation, not unlike going through warp. When you rematerialize, you will be directly behind the enemy's flagship. Good luck, Commdore. _Desslar Soto Banzai!_" When the comlink went dead, everything went white, and Derek had a sinking empty feeling that went from his stomach all the way to his feet. In a few seconds, the feeling passed, and he was staring at the back of the enemy flagship.

"Fire!" he heard himself saying. He hoped his crew was alert enough to carry out the order.

His crew was, and so were the crews of the other six ships. Shock cannons and missiles began flying towards the unprotected rear of the enemy's flagship. In the distance, Derek could make out a battle between the Garumans and the twelve pursuit ships abruptly cut short as the enemy ships withdrew, apparently being called back to the flagship for additional support. The rear guns of the _Voracious_ were already wiped out by cannon fire, and the support ships were still in the middle of a spin as the missile ships began pounding at them to keep them out of the battle. They were circling around for another pass as a deafening screech came over all the ships' loudspeakers. All across the battlefield, the firing suddenly stopped as a high pitched voice forced its way into the Earth Defense fleet battlenet.

"I WISH TO SPEAK WITH THE ONE WHO DARES TO ATTACK ME FROM BEHIND. WHO WOULD USE SUCH A SHAMEFUL TACTIC?"

The screeching stopped, and the communications channel cleared. The enemy stopped attacking, and all ships stopped moving. Commodore Tiala sent an order for all ships to hold their position and cease fire until further instructions; he hoped that Wildstar would do the same.

Derek was smiling. "So, we finally got your attention, eh?" He flipped a switch, picked up a microphone, and said, "I wish to speak with the one who dares attack us without provocation. Who would use such a shameful tactic?"

The video screen lit up, and there were gasps as a green insectoid figure stared down at them. He stood up and waved his upper right arm for effect as he spoke. "I am Commander Shir'Pa of the _Voracious_, flagship of the 7th Battle Fleet. We are not attacking you without provocation, trust me on that. It is YOU who struck the first blow! Now, I ask again, to whom do I speak?"

"I am Commodore Derek Wildstar of the _Hercules_. What do you mean, we struck the first blow? As far as I know, we've never met before."

"Perhaps not you personally, Commodore Derek Wildstar, but those from your solar system. Specifically, they come from your third planet, where we were headed before we were so rudely interrupted. A group of savages invaded our galactic system years ago and destroyed it utterly. Our home world was devastated, as were many other planets. Can you possibly imagine the destruction of an entire galaxy? It seems impossible, but it happened, and it crippled us. Now, we demand retribution!"

"Commander, perhaps you are mistaking us for the Comet Empire. Prince Zordar destroyed and enslaved many worlds on his way to Earth, but he was stopped. Prior to your attack on our fleet, we had no quarrel with you."

Shir'Pa laughed; at least, Derek assumed that the hissing and clicking sound coming from Shir'Pa was a laugh. "The Comet Empire was nothing compared to what we are. Do you think the balance of power in the galaxy was affected at all when Zordar was defeated?" Shir'Pa suddenly got closer to the viewer. "Tell me something, Commodore Derek Wildstar. Why do you have the remains of a battleship in orbit around the third planet?"

"It's a memorial. The _Yamato_ was a great ship that saved Earth many times."

Shir'Pa drew back and screamed. "The _Yamato_! The _Yamato_ destroyed our galaxy and scattered our people! That ship and its crew will be destroyed! The head of its captain will be brought home as a war trophy! Your people will-"

Derek had heard enough. "Main viewer off!" The display went blank.

The communications officer looked up at Derek. "What did he mean?"

Derek shrugged. "Haven't a clue. If he calls back though, we're not home." The bridge shook as cannon fire from the escort ships pummeled it from all sides.

"Sir? I think he's calling back."

"Okay, fine, some people just can't take no for an answer. Order all ships to open fire. Any ship equipped with a wave motion gun, take out the _Voracious._ Open a channel to the _Massachusetts._"

"Wildstar!" Tiala's face appeared on the view screen.

Derek looked up at Sherman. "You get all that, Tiala?"

"Yeah, I saw it. What the hell was he talking about?"

"I have no idea. I think he's slightly confused."

"That makes him dangerous. I'm ordering everyone to target the flagship. With luck, the rest of the fleet will turn tail and leave."

"I wouldn't count on that, but they should be easier to clean up without those giant guns firing at us."

"Let's hope so. Tiala out." The display went dark.

"Commodore, wave guns are at 75 of capacity." Rosen was at his station, and his hand was on the firing trigger. "Safety goggles on, folks." Everyone was grabbing safety goggles from their storage locations under their consoles. Derek reached under his console, found a pair, and slapped them over his eyes. "Josh, warn the other ships that we're about to fire. Maybe they can coordinate their spread."

"You got it." The communications officer started calling other ships to coordinate the attack.

"Ten seconds," Rosen called out.

Derek stared out at the _Voracious_. What did Shir'Pa mean? The _Yamato_ destroyed his world? An entire galaxy? How? The only world the _Yamato_ had destroyed was Dezarium, and Shir'Pa didn't look like a Black Nebulan.

The 'click' of the trigger shook him out of his thoughts, and the ship rumbled as the wave guns fired. The _Massachusetts_, _Gdansk, Archimedes_, _Hawk_, and the _Perseus_ fired their wave guns within a few seconds of each other. The _Voracious_ tried to change direction and pull away, but was struck from two different directions. The impacts knocked it off course, and it spun away from the attackers. It continued to fire, but did not seem to have any form of helm control.

A radio message came out to all ships from Commodore Tiala. "All ships clear away from the battlefield. If that thing explodes, it's going to take out everything around it!" The fleet began to clear away as the _Voracious_ began to spin around in circles. It finally turned towards deep space and its engines started to whine.

"He's going to make a run for it!" Rosen shouted.

Suddenly there was a blast of energy from the _Alexandria_'s wave gun, which struck the _Voracious_ near the starboard engine pods. The explosion tore a hole in the starboard side of the ship, knocking it in a fast spin. Suddenly the engines flared, and the ship tore through space – and tumbled into Jupiter. There were cheers throughout the fleet, as the remaining ships either disappeared into warp gates or were shot down in the confusion.

A voice broke out over the cheering. Captain Kinder of the _Alexandria_ said, "Sorry I'm late folks! My combat chief was napping!" Laughter could be heard from his bridge, then, "Can we go home now?"

Derek sat down and dabbed at his forehead with his sleeve. "Okay guys, let's rejoin the fleet. I think we're done here."

The Wildstar Residence – three days later, 0950 hours

"Hurry up, Derek! You're going to be late!" Nova was shouting up the stairs to her husband. He had a meeting with high command in an hour, but he couldn't seem to get his act together this morning. The last few days had been spent analyzing the "Battle of Callisto" as it was now being called, and there were rumors of some new information from the Garuman Empire. This was a meeting he did NOT want to miss.

"Okay!" he ran down the steps and into the kitchen. Breakfast was cold, but he gobbled down an egg and some sausages as he guzzled his coffee. He made a mock "ick" face as he drank the coffee, to which Nova responded with her usual stuck out tongue. He kissed the tip of her tongue and ran out the door. He hopped into his car and sped off towards the city, almost not clearing the fence at the end of the driveway as he shot over it.

EDF High Command – 1105 hours

A tape of the high points of the battle was being shown, with Sandor and some guy named Dystra narrating. Special mention was made of the Garuman's participation at the end of the battle, as the seven ships were teleported behind the _Voracious_. The conversation between Shir'Pa and Wildstar was played, then the _Voracious_ was shown caught in Jupiter's gravity.

Sandor stood up and hit a button on his remote, which raised the lights in the room. "Based on the wreckage we found, we don't think anyone survived. We found several thousand mangled bodies, some of which were brought back for study. I should have the results in a day or two."

Dystra chimed in, "We are also going through their ship for anything that can tell us more about them."

There were a few minutes of mumbling and whispering between the generals, then finally General Stone cleared his throat. "It is my understanding that we have an emissary from the Garuman Empire here, to address this council." He turned to the guard by the door and nodded. The guard left the room, then returned with two tall blue-skinned men. Stone looked up at the Garumans, and said, "Ah, yes, gentlemen. Allow me to welcome you to Earth Defense Headquarters." Derek didn't know if the Garumans were fooled by that greeting, but Derek knew that Stone was nervous about this.

"Thank you, General Stone. It is an honor to be one of the first to set foot on your world." Stone looked even more uncomfortable at the words "one of the first." The one who spoke turned and addressed the rest of the room. "My name is Dormon, and this is my bodyguard, Haus. I am here to present information from our scout teams." There was some nodding and murmuring. No one seemed willing to speak out loud to the Garumans. Stone motioned towards an empty chair, which Dormon accepted. Haus took position behind Dorman, not saying a word.

"Thank you, General. As you all know, the Sol Battle Fleet assisted your Earth Fleet near Callisto. After the battle, several of our ships tracked the enemy fleet back to their staging base. We were able to capture one of their ships undamaged, and gathered some information from their computer. We make this information available to the Earth Defense Force as a gesture of peace." Several blank stares, then Dormon added, "This order comes from Emperor Desslok himself."

Sandor was the first to speak. "What is it you were able to learn, Dormon?"

"The beings you are fighting are known as the Pri'Tan, and are currently located on several planets and space stations surrounding the star you call Sirius. They are building battleships as fast as they can. Based on the data we retrieved, they are planning a major offensive in six of your months. They currently have the firepower to completely destroy your planet. Their technology is superior to your own. In a direct offensive, you don't stand a chance."

Gasps around the room, followed by more mumbling. von Drach leaned over and peered at Dormon. "We held our own at Callisto. What makes you think we can't hold off more of them?"

"General, you lost more than half your fleet at Callisto, and you would have been wiped out if not for our assistance. There is nothing on which to base such foolish pride. They will simply come in larger numbers, and they will now be expecting such a tactic. It won't work a second time - not that they would give you the chance to use it. Your people will be wiped out."

von Drach scoffed. "I seem to recall your Emperor trying to do much the same thing ten years ago. How do we know this isn't another Gamilon attack? You're sending us off on a bug hunt; meanwhile you're landing your cruisers in the front lawn of the Presidential Estate! Why should we trust you?"

"I expected that question. Yes, my people did try to take over your world. That is not under dispute, nor is it relevant to this discussion. What is important here is that unless you stop the Pri'Tan, they will kill every one of you."

"That doesn't answer my question," von Drach countered.

"So why are you here?" General Marcus interrupted.

"I am here to offer the assistance of the Garuman Empire."

Silence.

"Emperor Desslok is on his way to Earth. He will address you directly, if that is your wish."

Stone choked. "Desslok is coming HERE?"

Dormon nodded. "He wishes to speak to your leaders face to face as a sign of good faith."

General Marcus turned to Derek and said, "You met Desslok, both as enemies and as friends. Does this sound like something that he would do? Can we trust this?"

Derek was a bit surprised that anyone was asking his opinion, but he rolled the question around in his head for a moment. "From what I know of Desslok, he wouldn't leave himself vulnerable unless he was sincere. If he is coming here, he knows that we could easily take him prisoner and try him for war crimes. He is counting on us realizing that he wouldn't put himself at that kind of risk unless it was important. I think we should listen to what he has to say, and take the Garumans at their word. Sir."

More murmuring, then Stone turned to Dormon. "We will have to think this over, naturally. You are welcome to stay here until we come to a decision."

"Thank you, General, but I will be returning to my ship. I trust you understand."

_He doesn't want anyone taking a shot at him,_ thought Derek. _There are a lot of people on Earth who would give anything for a chance to kill a Garuman._

"Of course," replied Stone. "Unless you have anything further to tell us…"

Dormon shook his head. "That is all I am at liberty to share with you. Emperor Desslok will have more information when he arrives in seven of your Earth days. At that time, he will meet with your President and his military advisors." Dormon said this matter-of-factly, as if the President had already agreed to the meeting. Dormon stood and his bodyguard backed away towards the door. "If that is all, then I shall take my leave."

"Of course. Thank you, Dormon." Stone nodded to the guard, who escorted the two Garumans out of the room.

EDF HQ Cafeteria, 1215 hours

Sandor leaned back in his chair. "Well, that was certainly unexpected."

Derek was chewing a cracker and thinking. For Desslok to leave the safety of his Empire and come to Earth, the stakes had to be pretty high. "Ten years ago, Desslok tried to conquer Earth. Now he's coming here to help us. Yes, I'd say that ranks pretty high on the Strange Meter."

"It wouldn't be the first time he's offered his assistance, but never in an official capacity." This was true; Desslok was willing to die to protect Starsha from a Black Nebula Empire landing party, then later he destroyed Emperor Lugarl's fleet so the _Yamato_ could continue to Earth unmolested.

With a laugh, Derek added, "Maybe he'll lend you a scientist or two to work out the bugs in your SMITE design."

"Fat chance. There weren't enough parts left of the _Prometheus_ to fill a wash basin, and they aren't going to let us rebuild her. Our focus is on Project Phoenix right now."

"What's Project Phoenix"

"Sorry, can't tell you. Not yet," Sandor said. "You'll find out eventually."

"Great, one more thing to worry about," Derek grinned.


	3. 3 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Earth Defense Headquarters, four days later, 1400 hours **Earth Defense Headquarters, four days later, 1400 hours**

The remainder of the week was spent either analyzing the battle tapes from Callisto, or in preparation for Emperor Desslok's arrival. Derek was starting to get rather bored watching the same explosions over and over again, so when he got called to Stone's office, he found himself thankful for the diversion.

He knocked on the door and waited for Stone to ask him in. Derek walked in, saluted, and said, "Commodore Wildstar, reporting as ordered, sir!"

"Sit down, Wildstar. I need to speak with you." When Derek had taken a seat, Stone continued. "We've received a request from the approaching Garuman fleet. It seems that Desslok wants you to attend the briefing."

Derek hadn't seen Desslok since their battle with the Dinguil. Earth didn't keep open communications with the Garumans; Hizak's offer of assistance was the first contact Earth had with Garuman in many years.

"I'd like that, General."

"Naturally, I have my reservations of letting you sit in a meeting with the President and his Chiefs of Staff."

"Naturally."

"However, we've checked with President Bergeron, and he has given his approval. You will be accompanying Commander Singleton and General Marcus in the Commander's private shuttle. As long as you can keep your temper in check, there shouldn't be any problems."

"Yessir."

"You'll report here at 0900 on Thursday. That is all, Commodore."

"Thank you sir." Derek stood up and saluted, then left the room.

"You're kidding!" Nova had said, many hours later in their living room.

"Nope. Desslok wants me at the meeting. I can't imagine why – this isn't a social call. As far as I know, it's the President, his people, and some high ranking brass. Why would they want me there?"

"Perhaps Desslok trusts your experience. He probably found out the battle at Callisto was won because of your quick thinking."

"The Battle of Callisto was won because I disobeyed orders. Not exactly something that adds to my less-than-glowing record."

"The excuse 'I was only following orders' has been used to explain far too many mistakes," Nova said. "If we would have lost that battle, I am sure someone would find a way to blame you for it."

"If we had lost that battle, I doubt I would be around to care." Derek leaned back into the couch. "I hope Desslok can shed some light on things."

Nova reached down and began to massage Derek's feet. "Like why they think the _Yamato_ destroyed their home world."

"During one of our battles with the Dinguil, Captain Avatar ordered the wave gun to be fired even though there was a group of small planets in the path of the gun. Do you remember that?"

"Yes, I remember reporting it, but Captain Avatar said he didn't care, destroying the fleet was more important."

"Do you think one of those planets could have been the Pri'Tan's colony world or something? It's the only time we have destroyed something without knowing exactly what we were destroying. Oh, that feels so good…" his voice trailed off as Nova started pressing into his arches.

"I didn't have a chance to do a full scan on what kind of life was present. I suppose it's possible."

"What was he talking about? This is driving me crazy." His eyes were starting to droop, so Nova put his legs down on the couch and covered him with a blanket. She leaned over and kissed him, then went to an easy chair to watch the evening's news. She was starting to feel somewhat tired herself… she couldn't shake this odd voice from her head, but she figured she was just worried about Derek so she didn't pay attention to it.

Presidential Estate, Thursday afternoon, 1300 hours

Derek stood in a waiting area, along with Commander Singleton, General Marcus, and an armed guard. They were waiting to be summoned to the meeting room with the President and his staff. They were also waiting to hear news of Desslok's arrival. His fleet was in orbit around Earth – the closest Desslok had ever been to the planet he once craved. Then a woman holding a clipboard walked into the room and approached.

"General, your and your party will follow me, please." She turned and walked through a set of double doors, which led down a long hallway. The group followed down the hall until they reached an open door. She turned and motioned into the doorway, but did not go inside. "Gentlemen, please enter and take your seats." They entered the room and saw President Bergeron at the end of a long table. To his right and left were men that Derek recognized as government ministers and staff members; further down was Emperor Desslok, Talan, and Dormon, flanked with body guards. Desslok nodded as Derek made eye contact.

"Ah, welcome," the President said loudly. "Gentlemen, would you please take your seats so we can get under way?" Singleton, Marcus, and Wildstar sat down across from Desslok and Talan. "Good, good. I've spoken briefly with Emperor Desslok and his aide. Emperor Desslok, General Talan, may I present Major General Charles Singleton, commander of our Earth Defense Force. To his left is General Thurman Marcus, and of course you have met Commodore Derek Wildstar."

"Yes, we have met," Desslok said softly. "Wonderful to see you again – Commodore is it now? Congratulations."

Derek nodded his thanks as the President continued. "Emperor Desslok would not divulge his information until our EDF representatives arrived. Now that we are all assembled, Desslok? Would you like the floor?"

"Thank you, President Bergeron. First, allow me to express my gratitude at your hospitality. I fully expected to arrive to an armed guard. I thank you for your trust in me."

"I won't kid you, Desslok," began Scott Dresher, the Minister of Defense. "There are many who would like to see you in irons, tried for your attack on the Earth, and executed by firing squad. You show great bravery in coming here."

"Well, now that our mutual respect has been established," General Marcus offered, "can we please hear what our Garuman guests have to say?"

"Yes, of course," Desslok began. "You are being attacked by the Pri'Tan, this much you know. You have, no doubt, been wondering where they come from, and more importantly, why they are coming here." Nods from around the table. "Commodore Wildstar, in the interest of time, I shall be blunt. You destroyed their home world, and now they want blood. While they may appear as vengeful savages to you, they are actually rich and deep with an ancient culture. However, many of their people were killed when the nebulas shifted. Their ancient ruins are gone, and their gods dictate that they must seek repentance or death of the ones responsible. However their ruler, King Ham-Sha'Peth, is ruthless and bloodthirsty. He will not settle for an apology – he means to have you dragged before him, broken and suffering. He will see you tortured to the brink of death, brought back to health, then tortured again for his amusement. You will beg him to end your life, but he will not. Such is his way."

Derek just sat, letting all this sink in. It was true, then, what Shir'Pa had said. He was responsible for the destruction of the Pri'Tan home world.

With a dry mouth, Derek managed to say, "I don't remember encountering them before."

"Ironically, you tried to befriend one of their colonies on your way to Iscandar. Hundreds of years ago, the Pri'Tan started sending out exploration ships to colonize new worlds. The Pri'Tan believed themselves to be above other life forms, being stronger and more adaptable, but their goal was not conquest. They simply wished to spread out. They could survive where others could not, so they usually chose harsh, inhospitable worlds so others would leave them alone.

"Ra'li was the head of one of those colony ships, which landed on the planet you know as Beemera. The colony did well, and attracted our attention as we surveyed the area. When we tried to make Beemera part of our Empire, the current Queen, Malina, sent a request for assistance to the home world. From what I understand, Ham-Sha'Peth was so enraged that Malina dared call herself Queen that he ordered them isolated. As far as their King was concerned, if she wanted so badly to be in charge then she could run the planet without the help or support of the home world. With the lack of a real government, Gamilon stepped in to help run things. In exchange for our help and protection, they gave us Royal Bee Jelly.

"To hide her shame, Malina called her people 'Beemeri,' which in their tongue means 'survivors.' The citizens of Beemera were never told that they were cut off from their home, although there were dissidents who were not happy about the change in rule."

Derek realized he was staring at the table. He looked up and said, "Nova met some of them when she landed on the planet. They tried to start a revolt against the Queen."

"New leadership is often questioned," Talan challenged, "But that's not a topic of discussion for now."

"Quite right, Talan," Desslok replied.

"You keep talking about the home world. Where was it?" General Marcus asked.

Dormon slid a datapad towards Marcus. "As the information on that pad shows, their home world was on the far edge of what was once called the Black Nebula."

Derek gasped. "When Dezarium exploded and created the new nebula…"

"All planets inside the two nebulas were affected," Dormon said, rather matter-of-factly. "Gravity was changed, and several suns went dark. One went nova. Two planets became stars. Planets on the fringe were spared the worst of it, but most of them were left without a sun, or their gravity was so drastically altered that they could no longer maintain life."

"The Pri'Tan world was left uninhabitable, even for them," Talan explained. "They've been wandering the galaxy in search of a place to call home, much like we were at one time. They have settled near Sirius, and have put all their effort into building a fleet."

"Does this former home world have a name?" Derek asked quietly.

Dormon spoke. "Their name for it is unpronounceable by other species. We call it Pri'Tani."

"Is there any life on it now?" General Marcus asked.

"Not anymore," Dormon answered. "Our scouts reported that the planet has been abandoned for several years."

"That explains why we found no signs of life on our last sweep of the area," Derek said. "Our instruments showed no signs of civilization on any of the planets though. Just burning gases and ash."

"Inside the two nebulas there were two dominating worlds, Dezarium and Pri'Tani. Dezarium you know about; Pri'Tani was on the opposite edge of the twin system. Dezarium showed no interest in Pri'Tani, while Pri'Tani seemed to concentrate their colonization efforts outside the nebula. We don't know if the two worlds ever made contact with each other." Dormon typed a few buttons on the pad, which displayed photographs of subterranean caverns and passages on Pri'Tani. "The Pri'Tan made their homes underground. If you scanned the planet where they have set up their current base of operations, you wouldn't find any signs of life unless you scanned below the surface. They seem to like their privacy, and don't want casual passers-by to detect their presence. However, at this time, their need for revenge seems to have outweighed their need for seclusion. The space stations and battleship construction platforms are a dead giveaway of their location."

"Dormon, you mentioned ruins in our previous meeting. Why didn't we see them when we surveyed the new nebula?" Derek asked. He was beginning to feel very sick to his stomach and hoped it didn't show.

Dormon rattled on like none of this meant anything to him. "They had burial mounds for their rulers in what they called the Sacred Grounds, but to look at them from a distance, they appeared to be natural formations. When Dezarium was destroyed, the gravity of the surrounding planets was affected. It started a chain reaction that changed the orbit of Pri'Tani. The resulting tremors leveled the burial grounds and collapsed many of their underground living areas. Anyone not killed by the surface collapse later froze to death when the sun went dark."

Desslok looked over at Derek. "If it's any consolation, Wildstar, they are a rather uncivilized race. Just because they have space travel doesn't make them worthy of it. Every attempt at contact we made over the years, they ignored us. If we weren't so busy trying to set up our own planet, we probably would have taken them over long ago."

Derek looked at Desslok. "That's supposed to make me feel better?"

"Well, it isn't like you removed an important species from the galaxy," Desslok said smugly.

"How do we know that?" Derek asked. "We never even got to know them at all. Our war was with the Black Nebula Empire, not the surrounding planets. I didn't even want to destroy their entire planet! It just – it just happened!"

Dormon coughed. "Any scientist worth their IQ knows that tachyon energy reacts violently with – "

"You're not helping!" Derek shouted. "We didn't have time to evaluate the situation. We had to act, or bye-bye Earth! Tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing! If it meant pulling the trigger or knowing that your Emperor would die horribly, which would you choose?"

"No question! Emperor Desslok is never expendable!" Talan exclaimed.

"And the people of Earth were? You're just as cold as you ever were!" Derek stood up, knocking his chair over, and stormed out of the meeting room. As the door slammed behind him, he heard Singleton's voice calling after him, but he ignored it. He shoved his way past the guards and went outside to the gardens in the center of the Estate. _Blue skinned bastards,_ he thought. _Asking me to choose between our enemy and our families. Between Dezarium and Earth. And… Nova. She would have died if I hadn't pulled the trigger. I did the right thing, I know I did! Didn't I?_

Derek barely heard the voice behind him. He turned around, expecting to see Singleton with an angry look on his face, but instead he was the face of Desslok.

"Wildstar. Derek - if I may call you Derek." Derek nodded. "Derek, I know we don't think alike. I come from a long line of conquerors, people who would never think twice about dispatching an enemy regardless of the cost. If we won the war, then who cared about any casualties? There are no innocent bystanders in war, or so I thought. Since our last battle, I have slowly been reconsidering my tactics. Nova gave me something to think about. There are more important things than fighting. I have lost so much due to war – my home, many of my people…" He stared off into the sky. "The woman I loved…"

"Then you do understand what I am going through. I had a choice – pull the trigger or Earth died. I vowed I would never let myself be put into that situation again. I even tried to resign."

"Why didn't you?"

"I don't know. Maybe I don't like being stuck here on Earth. I enjoy the openness of space."

"Derek, space is not a playground for the weak. When you were on your way to Iscandar, I was sure that you would be an easy target. Earthers had no experience in outer space, whereas we knew every inch of space from our home to your solar system. I thought that alone was enough to stop you. Obviously, it wasn't. So I brought you right into the heart of Gamilon, where I was sure we would win. We had the advantage."

"Instead, I destroyed most of Gamilon with one blast of the wave motion gun."

"Don't be too hard on yourself. You were protecting yourself, and Gamilon would have destroyed itself eventually. You exploited our weakness and used it against us, just as I would have done. That isn't something to regret."

"When I pulled that trigger, I became just as barbaric as – well, I mean…"

"Yes, Derek, to you, we must have seemed barbaric. We attacked without provocation, killed many of your people, and desperately pursued you on your journey to save your world. In our minds, it was justified – we were fighting for our lives, just as you were. It was more than just conquest for conquest's sake, we needed a new home. Earth was convenient and we didn't have time to find an alternative."

"I can remember standing on the deck that day, wondering why Gamilon never simply asked us for help."

"It wasn't our way, Derek."

There was a long silence, then finally Derek said, "You know, it's funny, having this conversation. I avoided it when we were on Garumania, but now, talking to the man who once tried to destroy us… it's…"

"Awkward? Think of how I feel, Derek. You not only survived our attack, but almost destroyed us in return. For a long time, all I could think about was revenge. It drove me to endure the shame of working for that blowhard Zordar. Then seeing your Nova, willing to die to protect you, well, it brought back a painful memory. Lovely woman, so delicate, yet still a fighter. Earth people are truly amazing. It made me wonder, how many people would die to protect me because they wanted to, not just because they felt they had to out of a sense of duty, or fear of reprisal? Talan swore allegiance to me long before you were even born, but how many of my generals can I trust? I have had so many fools under me, idiots that would do anything to save their own skins. Ganz and Bane, Krypt, Smirdom, all failures. Now, Frakken and Lysis, THOSE were brave men! They died with honor, and would have defended me to the end, and I would have been proud!"

"When I joined the Earth Defense Force, I swore an oath to protect life – all life. As long as I have been in combat, I still don't like having to kill. It's a last resort. There are times when I regret that we even have a wave motion gun. It's just…"

"Barbaric?"

"Yes."

"Why do you think I stopped using Excelsior? It was too powerful. There is no challenge or honor in defeating an enemy with such a weapon. It was too easy to strike a killing blow, knowing we had such a powerful weapon, without attempting other means first. Even when I had it, I only used it for a good reason. After I took care of Prime Minister Bemlayze, I had the ship scuttled. I once again command from the _Gamilstadt II_. Just because you have a powerful doomsday weapon, you don't have to use it."

"Right," Derek whispered.

"We should get back to the conference. I am sure they are wondering what happened to us."

"I apologize for my outbursts, Desslok."

"Think nothing of it. I can't fault you for some residual pain at seeing the man who killed your family. Believe it or not, I do feel regret over that. You're a good man, Derek Wildstar."

Derek looked up to see Desslok extending his hand. Slowly, he took it, and shook.

"Let's go." Derek said. They turned and entered the Estate. The guards snapped to and began to reach for their side arms, but Derek held up his hand.

"As you were, men, he's with me." They saluted, then returned to their rest positions.

Derek and Desslok re-entered the conference room. The conversation abruptly stopped and all heads turned towards the doorway. Derek closed the door behind him, and the two took their seats.

"Gentlemen, and especially General Talan," Derek began, "I wish to apologize for my comments. I was letting personal feelings govern my words. I will try to keep a more open mind during the remainder of the meeting."

"If you were anyone else, you would have been shot, Earthling," Talan said. "Emperor Desslok's safety is my main concern above all else!"

Desslok coughed, and Talan stopped and looked at his leader. "Talan," he said quietly," Commodore Wildstar is not only our host, but also my friend and hopefully our ally. Please offer him the proper respect. Don't forget, it was he who bested us on our own ground. He has offered to put aside his grudge. Can you not do the same?"

Talan looked at Derek, and sighed. "It shall be as you command, sir. I admit putting aside old resentments is not easy. Your outburst was not unwarranted under the circumstances, Commodore. I accept your apology."

"Well, now that THAT is out of the way," President Bergeron mumbled.

"Yes, of course Mr. President," said Singleton, who had been remarkably quiet during all this. "Emperor Desslok, what do you propose we do about the Pri'Tan? Can we assume you are going to help us?"

"If necessary. The Pri'Tan pose no threat to Garuman, but I see this as a perfect opportunity to solidify an alliance with Earth. Long have there been doubts as to my intentions towards the people of this planet. I am sure many believe that I will one day come back with a larger force and take over the planet. I would be lying if I said I never considered this, however, I have too much respect for you to do such a thing." Desslok paused, choosing his words carefully. "Since the noble sacrifice of the _Yamato_, many generals have insisted that this is an ideal time to strike, now that the ship that defeated us is no more. However, I am not without honor, despite what you may think. Given your advancements, I have decided that the Earth would make a far stronger ally than a foe."

"Does this mean Earth can stop worrying about becoming part of your Empire?" President Bergeron asked.

"Earth may join the Garuman Empire if it so chooses, but I place no requirement upon my aid. I will still assist in your war against the Pri'Tan if asked. Earth may retain its independence."

"If it's all the same to you, I think Earth will remain under its own government," the President said firmly.

"As you wish," Desslok said with a smile.


	4. 4 Arise New Yamato!

"… and that was it," Derek finished

"… and that was it," Derek finished. He called Nova from a vidphone after the meeting to let her know what was going on. Technically she wasn't cleared for it, but no one would actually question whether it was safe for Nova Wildstar to hear classified information. "Desslok and his people returned to his flagship, and I believe they are still in orbit."

"Aren't the Garumans afraid someone might take a shot at them?" she asked. "There have to be others like Captain Reynolds in the fleet."

"The area around the _Gamilstadt II_ has been declared a no-fly zone. The Garumans are also being watched very carefully – any change in direction or unscheduled movement might be taken as an act of aggression."

"Sounds like a tense week at HQ."

"I doubt General Stone has slept a wink," Derek smirked.

"Poor baby," Nova put on a mock pout then giggled. "So what's our next move?"

"I don't know. We aren't being told very much at this point." Suddenly he was tapped on the shoulder. He turned to see a man in a uniform, saluting. "Hold on a second, Nova." He turned to the man and asked, "Can I help you?" Seeing that the man wasn't moving, Derek saluted back. Only then did the man relax and speak.

"Commodore, you're needed right away at a press conference." The man held out a slip of paper with an address on it, along with an unsigned note saying "15:30. BE THERE."

"A what?"

"You're to come with me, sir." He beckoned towards a hovercraft.

"Oh, fine. Not like I had any plans for today." Derek turned back towards the video screen and said, "I'll call you later, Nova." She barely had time to say goodbye before he hit the disconnect button. He followed the driver into the vehicle, which sped away towards the EDF's media center.

A few minutes later they landed, and Derek stepped out. He was immediately met by another man he did not know; this one was carrying a stack of papers. "Welcome, welcome Commodore Wildstar. I'm Donald Groland, media attaché. Come this way please, you're on in a few minutes."

"Say what?" Derek was taken aback. "I'm on?" He suddenly realized he was the guest speaker at a press conference.

"Yes, yes, here are your notes." Groland handed a pile of papers to Derek, who barely had time to look at them before being pulled into the media center. "No time to prep you, just follow what's on the papers and you'll be fine."

"Why me?" Derek asked incredulously. "Isn't this usually handled by a press secretary or someone important?"

"You're a war hero! The people will listen to you. Please, this way."

"The people will… wait, listen to what? What am I supposed to say?"

"It's all right there!" Groland motioned at the stack of papers impatiently. "Come on!"

Derek was literally thrust out onto a makeshift stage, and instantly lights went on from mobile and hand-held cameras. Dozens of people began to applaud, and many immediately started shouting questions.

_Oh, great,_ Derek mumbled.

"Commodore! Sir!" He heard various questions being shouted from different directions. He had seen and been in enough of these to know the protocol – there was none. He looked at the top sheet in his hand and saw that it was a statement that was meant to be read, so he figured he better start with that.

He held his hand up to signal silence, and surprisingly the crowd quieted down. "Ladies and gentlemen of the press," he began, and several people started their portable recorders. "Earth Defense Headquarters has issued the following statement about the recent battle at Callisto." He scanned the first few lines, preparing his best speaking voice. "As many of you are aware, the Earth Defense Fleet met and defeated an unknown enemy near Jupiter's moon, Callisto. While information is still being gathered about this threat…" He trailed off, reading the next section to himself. "Um, what? The Earth fleet overwhelmed… we did what?" He continued to read, while the crowd began to murmur amongst themselves. Derek flipped the page, not believing what he was reading. "Was I at a different battle?" he finally said. He continued to read, then finally mumbled something barely coherent.

"Sir?" a voice in the front asked. "Could you repeat that?"

Without thinking, Derek shouted, "I said 'bullshit!'" He looked up suddenly, realizing that about 60 pairs of rather wide eyes were staring at him.

"Er, uh, I apologize," he said to the onlookers. "I wasn't prepared to give this little speech. In fact, had I been given the opportunity to read this ahead of time, I wouldn't have agreed to appear." There was more whispering as he cleared his throat. "If I have learned anything at all, it's that the military has a habit of exaggerating their facts." He held up the pile of papers. "This little work of fiction is no different. This report would have you believe that we took only minor casualties at Callisto. Well, speaking as one who was there, I have to tell you differently. We took heavy losses in that battle. Almost half the fleet didn't return home. Hundreds of young men and women lost their lives fighting an enemy that, until that battle, we had never even seen. If not for the assistance of the Garuman Empire, a fact that this report conveniently left out, I wouldn't be standing here. You would all probably be looking at a Pri'Tan ruler right now, listening to him chatter out his demands." He looked down at the pile of papers, then flipped it over his shoulder. Pieces of paper went fluttering to the ground as Derek looked back up. "I didn't see any mention at all about the attack on our fleet at Brumis. Our ships were almost completely wiped out. Only four ships out of fifty were able to return home. Don't those people deserve recognition for their efforts? Or are only the survivors worthy of media attention?" He coughed in disgust, then collected himself and lowered his voice. "You all remember when the Earth was invaded in the past. You all remember what it's like to be afraid. I suppose the EDF is trying to keep you all from panicking, but I just can't stand here and help spread misinformation. I will not be a part of it."

Several people started shouting at once.

"Commodore! You said the enemy was called a Reetan? What are they? What do they look like?"

"Will we have to evacuate?"

"What about our defense fleet?"

Derek raised his finger, and corrected the first questioner. "That's Pri'Tan. P, r, i, an apostrophe, capital T, a, n. They, well, they look sort of like large insects. And-" Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted two security guards making their way towards him. He turned to face them. The guards said nothing, just stared.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Derek said into the microphone. "It appears something has come up that, er, requires my attention. Thank you all for coming." With that, he was escorted off the stage and into a security flyer.

"ARRESTED?" General Stone exploded. "For what?"

"He is being charged with attempting to incite a riot by spreading misinformation." Commander Singleton was reading and shaking his head. He had been holding a meeting with several generals when the report came in.

"Wildstar denied it, of course?"

"He denies nothing."

"Aha! So he's proud of it!" Stone waved his hand in the air madly. "No regard for authority at all!"

"On the contrary, Stone, he says he was asked to give a press conference, and the information he was given was, well, 'bullshit,' as he put it. He says he was trying to reveal the truth."

"It isn't his job to reveal anything! What was he doing there?"

"Wildstar was grabbed by a… hmm…" Singleton looked at the report again. "Donald Groland. This Groland said he is a media attaché. We checked, and there is no such person working for the EDF."

"See? Wildstar is lying!"

"I don't believe that for a second, Stone. I think Commodore Wildstar was lied to."

"Bah! To what end?" Stone snorted.

"That is what I am trying to find out."

Singleton wasn't the only one. Nova was on her way to the EDF "Detention Center," which everyone knew was just a fancy coating on the word "brig." She had received a call saying her husband was being held in connection with a riot attempt, and she was to come down immediately. As she drove there, she ran over it in her mind. Sure, Derek could be rather forceful at times, but a riot? That just wasn't like him at all. She parked and went inside to the reception desk. Taking note of the plants and glass windows, she thought to herself, _Fancy place for a prison_. She told the guard at the desk who she was, showed her ID, and asked to see Derek. The guard made a quick phone call, then told her to sit down.

The door across from the desk opened, and a man stuck his head out. "Lieutenant Wildstar?" She stood and walked to the open door. "This way, please." He beckoned her through the door. When they were on the other side, he introduced himself as Captain Dubrimi and explained what had happened according to Derek's story. He also said he would be representing the Commodore at the hearing.

"Hearing?" Nova was shocked by the word.

"Of course there will be a hearing. Commodore Wildstar is charged with trying to start a riot by spreading lies and misinformation about the military. We take that quite seriously."

"Oh, please, you can't tell me you believe that?"

"Lieutenant, his service record is admirable, but you have to admit it's a bit spotty. He has a habit of bending rules whenever it suits him, and surely you remember the mutiny in 2202."

"Remember it? I was THERE! He was cleared by Commander Singleton himself!" Nova couldn't believe this was all coming back.

"Of course, but it was still entered into his record. Regardless of whether or not he was cleared, he still stole a battleship and ordered an entire crew to follow him against orders."

"He did not!" she shouted. "Everyone on that ship was there of their own free will! They were not ordered to go, they all volunteered! You ask any one of them and they will back me up on that."

"There are those who say Commodore Wildstar influenced them to cover it up."

"Whose side are you on, anyway?"

"Lieutenant, I am representing the Commodore, however I have to be frank and honest." From what she knew about lawyers, she knew only one of those was true. "Despite his fame as a war hero, he also has a reputation as a man with his own agenda."

"You sound like General Stone," she huffed.

Captain Dubrimi ignored the comment, probably because he didn't realize just how much of an insult she intended it to be. He opened a door and led her into a rather bland looking room devoid of any furnishings other than a table and some chairs. Derek was sitting when she walked in, but quickly stood up. She walked over to him and they embraced.

"If you would both be seated?" Dubrimi said this as a question, but both Wildstars knew it was not a request. They sat down as Dubrimi continued speaking. "Now, as you both know, it is my job to defend Commodore Wildstar's actions of this afternoon. In order to do this, I must insist on honesty. I cannot defend you if I do not know everything, and I dislike surprises."

"I told you everything," Derek said. "I stand by my statement."

"Commodore, we have checked out your story. There is no Donald Groland with the EDF. Media attaché or otherwise."

"Swell. So what you're saying is I was set up."

"What I am saying is that your story doesn't hold water. It's entirely possible that you were set up, but that's going to be hard to prove."

"What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty?" Nova demanded. "Derek is not some war criminal!"

"I understand, Lieutenant, but I already told you that the military court is going to take his past record into account, and it doesn't exactly look favorable." She opened her mouth, but Captain Dubrimi cut her off. "The fact that he helped to save the planet on more than one occasion will be considered."

"Considered? Considered?" he yelled. "That's outrageous!"

"Commodore, please. You've done your part, now let me do mine. With your full cooperation, we'll have this cleared up in no time at all."

"Wonderful," Derek said, not convinced at all. "Can I go now?"

"I'm afraid not. You are to be detained until this matter is closed." Captain Dubrimi started gathering his notes.

"When will this go to trial?" Nova asked.

"I'm pushing to get this handled within two weeks, but I have to be realistic. It may take longer."

"Two weeks?" Derek practically deflated. "I can't sit here for two weeks!"

"We will try to make you as comfortable as possible, Commodore."

"Oh, I'll just bet." Derek wasn't looking forward to their version of free room and board and three squares a day.

Pluto Observation Base – 1940 hours, Earth time

Eager's team was still working around the clock trying to get everything working. General Stone wasn't at all happy that they were almost taken by surprise because the detection grids weren't completely operational, and Eager wasn't about to let it happen again. Given the choice between an enemy attack and the wrath of General Stone, he'd invite the enemy over for drinks any day. The com blipped.

"Yeah?"

"Jackson here, sir. We're picking something up on long range."

"Can ya identify it?"

"Running it now sir." A pause, then an obscenity could be heard in the background.

"I take it that doesn't mean good news," Eager sighed.

Jackson made the more official report. "More of those alien warships heading towards our system."

Eager repeated the obscenity.

"Do we have a name for them yet, sir?" Jackson asked.

"Yeah, hang on. We just got the poop from HQ." Eager scrambled through some printouts, finally finding the one he received from Homer earlier. "They're called 'Pri'Tan.' Info came from Desslok of Gamilon, if you'd believe that one."

"I'm not sure what to believe when it comes to Gamilons, sir. If they're on our side though…"

"Yeah," Eager answered. _We'll take the help. _"Make a formal report to Earth. Better hope they've recovered from the last run-in with these guys."

Wildstar residence, approximately 2215

Nova couldn't eat dinner, nor could she find anything that would take her mind off things. She paced the floors. She cleaned the living room. She tried to read a book. Finally, she did the only thing a woman in her situation could do - she called her mother.

"He's what?" Teri Forrester was silent for a minute while the words "in jail" sank in.

"That's right, Mama. He's accused of starting a riot at a fake press conference. Spreading misinformation."

"That's ridiculous! Derek is many things, but he's not a danger to society."

"Proving that may be difficult. His representative seems to think Derek's colorful past may be used against him."

"Of course it will. That's what prosecuting attorneys do. Some of the best ones could easily make God Himself look like Public Enemy Number 1."

"I feel so helpless."

"Helpless is not a word I would associate with you, dear. You've always known the right thing to do, but in this case the right thing might be to just sit by and watch. You've always done your job, now let the court do theirs." Teri paused, then said, "Look, if it makes you feel any better, I'll ask your father to examine the case."

"Papa has no authority here; it's a military matter."

"Oh, I know he can't represent Derek, but Karl can at least make sure that everything is being done in Derek's best interest."

Somehow that wasn't much of a consolation. She hung up the phone and flopped down on the couch. She was about to turn on the television to find out how badly the media was smearing Derek's name when the phone chirped at her. She reached over and hit the button without looking to see who it was. As she did so, she scolded herself for not checking – it's probably some reporter looking for a statement. _Leeches_, she thought.

"Yes?" she asked, finger poised over the "disconnect" button.

"Nova? Don't hang up, it's Nikki."

"Nikki! For a moment I thought it might be the press."

"That's why I said not to hang up."

"I take it you've seen the news."

"Of course, but that's not why I am calling."

"What's up?"

Nicole's voice got soft. "The enemy is attacking the outer planets."

Nova almost fell off the couch. "What!"

"Reports are just coming in. Colonies are being slaughtered. Our ships are being shot out of the sky before they can even get in a shot."

"Damn. What's EDF doing?"

"They've called in anyone with metal on their shoulders for a meeting, but the attitude here isn't all that encouraging. We're still licking our wounds from Callisto."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Not here, no. Be ready in case we start getting casualties though – you'll probably get called into Central."

"Understood."

"Be strong, Nova."

"Aren't I always?" she grinned. Nova was aware that Nicole knew better.

Mars Mining Base 42 - 2330 Earth time

The door slammed open and a dirty man with a laser-welder came tearing in. "Incoming!"

That was all the man had time to say as the wall exploded inward. The fireball consumed the rest of the base quickly, as hundreds of fighters swarmed overhead. Satisfied that the base was in ruins, they made quick work of the surrounding ships, then returned to the carrier. The carrier in turn left Deimos orbit and rejoined the rest of the fleet on their way towards a blue planet that could barely be seen in the distance.

Major General Singleton's Office – 0050 hours

"Singleton," he grumbled into the phone. It was already a bad night, and he somehow knew this would not be good news. "What? When? Okay, thank you." He hung up and turned to Generals Stone, von Drach, and Dunlop. The strategy meeting was over, the fleets had been deployed, and the four of them were now monitoring the battles as they happened. "The Pri'Tan are already past Mars."

"Our fleets are doing nothing," von Drach said sharply.

"We're not even slowing them down," agreed Dunlop. "How much time until they are in striking range of Earth?"

Singleton looked on his computer screen. "Based on the latest reports from our orbital platforms, twenty minutes."

Stone turned white. "What? Eye in the Sky reported them entering the system at 1945! You're telling me they went from Pluto to Mars in less than three hours? Even at continuous warping, that would take one of our fastest ships two days!"

Dunlop pulled at his beard. "Which is why they were able to take us by surprise. They are faster, and they have longer range. They are in and out before we can even react. They're like a plague of locusts!"

"Bah! Our men make excuses for being lazy," von Drach spat. "What have they been doing since the last battle? Drinking victory toasts! They should have been running continuous battle drills, instead of being hung over!"

Singleton shot von Drach a warning glance. "General, I'm open to suggestions. Is there something more we could be doing?"

"Not now! Not anymore! It's too late!"

"So you say we should just give up?" Stone asked angrily. von Drach said nothing. "We've been in worse situations before. We've always pulled through when the deck was stacked against us."

"Yes, we have." Singleton said wistfully. "But we always had a trump card. This time, however…" He looked out the window at the night sky.

On board his flagship, War Commander Kri'Do looked down at the world below him. As expected, their pitiful defenses fell quickly. To say that the battle at their sixth planet went poorly was a gross understatement, and had Shir'Pa not died in disgrace at the hand of the Offenders, he surely would have died at the hand of their King. Kri'Do would not make that mistake. The Offenders had a history of complacency – they would win a battle and assume that they had won the war. This time, their smugness would be their undoing.

A voice from tactical broke him from thought. "War Commander! There is a small fleet on the other side of the planet. Their configuration doesn't match that of the Offenders."

Kri'Do looked over to the Fledgling. "Well? What are they?"

"Scan shows them to be Garuman."

"So, Emperor Desslok is in league with the Offenders now, is he?"

Vro'Ti, Kri'Do's second in command, offered another possibility. "Perhaps he once again intends to claim this world as his own?"

Kri'Do clicked his mandibles. "Either way, he will meet the same fate."

"Orders, War Commander?" the Fledgling asked.

"Begin the bombardment. Let's make sure they are awake. I wouldn't want anyone to die in their sleep." He preferred that his prey know that they are about to die.

"Emperor Desslok, the Pri'Tan have reached Earth orbit."

"Thank you, Talan. Anything else?"

"Yes sir, there is an urgent communication from Earth for you."

"Who is it? Their President?"

"No sir, a Captain Jordan. He says he served with Commodore Wildstar."

The ground shook, knocking many of the "guests" out of bed. Derek picked himself up as dust fell from the walls and ceiling. Alarms were blaring in the halls and people were talking loudly. He couldn't make out any of it, but it was obvious that the building was under attack. The next blast rattled the walls, shattering windows and bringing down more dust. He could hear the muffled sounds of ships flying overhead. Bombers. The enemy was here. As he expected, Earth was now paying for their victory at Callisto. _And here I am, incapable of doing anything._ He then wondered if being outside would even matter at this point.

He heard a bunch of people run past his door. "Hey! Let me out of here!" he shouted. "Come on, guys, let me do something!" No one answered. "Come on! I'm no good to you in here!" He sat back down on the bed. Obviously, they weren't about to allow any of the prisoners take advantage of the chaos. A third explosion rocked the room, and the lights dimmed momentarily. For the first time in many years, Derek felt helpless.

Central Hospital – 0310 hours

As Nicole warned her, the casualties were rolling in. Nova didn't even wait for the call; she headed for Central as soon as the first reports of bombing came in.

"Concussion, cracked ribs, this one can wait!" she called out to a nurse. She lifted a bandage on a young woman, then placed two fingers over her carotid. Nova bowed her head and closed her eyes for a second, then said softly "nothing we can do for this one." She then moved on to the next body. As quickly as she was sending them off, more were streaming in. Normally she'd be assisting in the operating room and not barking out orders, but tonight there was no hierarchy – doctors, nurses, interns, everyone was doing whatever was necessary. Medical robots were zipping back and forth, carrying supplies and pushing gurneys. Nova took a moment to wipe the sweat from her face, then moved on to another body. Suddenly the room rocked and the lights went out. A loud crashing was heard from down the hall, followed by people running. Nova ran to look what was going on, but was dragged away. Through the smoke, she caught a glimpse of a large hole where four operating rooms had been. Outside, the surrounding city was in flames.

People were still picking themselves up from the floor when the communications officer tried to shout above the confusion. "Incoming transmission from the enemy fleet!"

"Put it on main viewer!" Homer shouted. He had just arrived, and had barely been briefed before the city came under attack. He looked up and was repulsed by the face that appeared. It was just like Wildstar had described, only uglier.

"Offenders! Defilers! Destroyers of our world! I am War Commander Kri'Do."

"I am Major General Charles Singleton of the Earth Defense Force." Homer looked behind him to see Singleton leaning over the railing on the second level. He was dirty and bleeding from one arm.

"Are you in command of this world?" Kri'Do demanded.

"I am not. Our President is on his way. I am authorized to hear your demands."

"Demands?" Kri'Do made a sound that could only be a laugh, although Singleton could hardly imagine anything more horrific sounding. "We only demand that you die for your crimes!"

"We had no hostile intentions towards your people before you attacked us."

"But you do not deny your guilt!"

"We cannot accept responsibility for –"

"Do not offend us further by denying your involvement! You are responsible, and our law demands retribution!"

"How is destroying our planet going to bring back your world?"

"I will not waste my breath explaining our law to one so unworthy. Simply put, you will die." The mandibles twitched as Kri'Do turned away. Homer wondered if this was the insect's version of a sneer. Kri'Do suddenly looked back and made a clicking sound. "I have given you more time than you deserve. Do not mistake that for mercy." Kri'Do waved an arm towards something off screen, and the image went dark.

Homer ran up to the second level. Singleton was waving away a man carrying a basket of bandages. "But sir, you're hurt!" the young man protested.

"And people are dying! Go tend to them!" The man shrugged and walked away.

Homer walked up to Singleton, who was looking at a panel showing fleet deployments. "Pop, give it to me straight. What chance do we have?"

Without looking up, Singleton answered, "Son, if you're asking me that, you already know the answer."

Nova looked up at the first signs of morning. The attacks continued, and people were being evacuated to underground cities. Many of the old cities were in disrepair, but they would do for now. She closed the door to the transport car, and as it pulled away she realized she hadn't eaten in over 12 hours. She grabbed a cup of water and some crackers from a tray and walked back to the triage area.

"Nova, wait!" She turned to see Diane coming towards her, carrying a portable phone. "I told him you were busy, but he insisted that it was urgent."

Nova grabbed the phone. "Yes?"

The voice on the other end was garbled. "Nova, this is Sandor."

"Sandor! Are you okay? Where are you?"

"I'm fine. I assumed you would be at Central, but I am rather surprised I was able to get through. Most of the communications lines are down. How goes the evacuation?"

"We're almost done getting the wounded out."

"How are you holding up?" Sandor asked.

"Well, to be honest," she lowered her voice. "I guess I'm not used to it. I've been sick every morning since the attacks started. I don't know if I can go through this again!"

"Nova, you're strong. It'll come back to you. I have faith in you."

_At least someone does,_ she thought.

"Nova, is there any chance you can get away? I need your help."

"What is it, Sandor?"

"It will involve bending a few rules, but right now I doubt anyone will care."

"I love it already." Sandor explained his idea to her, and she immediately pledged her support. Then, she put the phone on the counter and went off to get cleaned up. This was going to be a busy day.

EDF Detention Center - 0930 hours

The guards were trying to evacuate the prisoners, but the constant bombing runs were making it rather difficult. Two transports had already been hit, and at this point most of the guards had already gone home to see to their own families' safety. Corporal Cindy Callas was trying to keep her head about her as others were losing theirs. "Come on, let's go!" she shouted. Two men were trying to drag four prisoners into transports, but the prisoners were not coming willingly. "I said let's go!" she tried again.

"Look, bitch, give it a rest!" one of the men in shackles said.

Callas drew her weapon and pointed it at the prisoner. "You get in that transport or I'll shoot you myself."

"What's the difference? Either I die here or we die in some holding camp someplace!" He was right; this was sort of pointless. She lowered her astro-automatic and waved it towards the transport.

"Just get in. You stand more of a chance underground than out here." He scowled at her, then climbed inside. She turned away to see a hover-car approaching. It stopped, and a lone woman got out. Callas walked up to her, wondering what was going on. The woman was wearing a brown pant-suit and carrying a blue shoulder pouch. What the heck was she doing HERE?

Before Callas could ask, the woman produced a military ID. The name on the tag looked familiar. "What can I do for you, Lieutenant?" Callas didn't bother to salute; she was Army, this woman was Navy. Saluting between branches was a courtesy, and right now Corporal Callas wasn't feeling too courteous.

"I'm here to see one of your guests."

"They are being evac'd. Can it wait?"

"Afraid not. Where is Commodore Wildstar?"

_Aha, that's where I recognize the name, _Callas thought. "Your husband, ma'am? He's still inside. His section is moving out next."

"Take me to him," Nova demanded.

_What could it hurt? It might be the last time she sees him. _Callas led Nova to the holding area where Derek and the rest of his block were still in their rooms. Walls and ceilings were cracked, and there was no power in the building. As they passed the restrooms, they walked through a puddle coming from under the doors.

"I hope you don't have to use the head," Callas sad sarcastically. Nova ignored her.

They came to a series of metal doors, and stopped in front of the third one. A hand written tag next to the door said "D WILDSTAR." The door glass was cracked, but the reinforcement wiring inside the pane was still intact. Callas produced a keyring and opened the door. Derek was sitting on the edge of his bed, and looked up. His eyes opened wide as Nova walked in.

"Nova!" he said incredulously. "What are you doing here?"

"No time to explain. We're leaving." She grabbed his arm and made for the door.

Callas stepped in front of them. "I'm sorry, ma'am, I can't let you leave with him. He is still considered a prisoner."

Nova looked Callas square in the eyes. "Corporal, in case you haven't noticed, we have more important things to worry about! This man is far more valuable to us on the command deck of a battleship than rotting away waiting for a trial that will never happen."

Callas was resolute. "I have my orders."

"When was the last time that innocent people died because someone was blindly following orders? Could you live with yourself? You know who this man is. Ask yourself where he's more useful."

"I… I have to call this in."

"Fine, you do that. We're leaving." Nova made for the door again. They pushed past Callas and literally ran into three uniformed men. One of them was Captain Dubrimi, who recognized her immediately.

"Lieutenant, where do you think you're going?" Dubrimi asked.

"You know, Captain, I really don't have time for this. Maybe we'll catch up later." She began to unzip the opening of her shoulder pouch.

"Now you see here! I don't care who you are or what's going on, we still have rules to follow!"

"Exactly, and I'm following them. Commodore Wildstar was ordered released," Nova lied.

"What? Why wasn't I told?"

"In all the confusion, you're surprised that someone forgot to tell you?" Nova smirked.

"Confusion or not, I hate surprises!"

"Well, then this should really piss you off." She pulled a personal stun device from her pouch and pointed it at him.

Dubrimi and Derek both jumped. "Wh-what is this?" Dubrimi demanded.

"Nova! What are you doing?" Derek exclaimed.

"Getting you out of here."

"Are you crazy?"

"Probably." She turned her attention back to Dubrimi. "Now, you're going to get out of our way. If anyone asks, we went to see the JAG. Move."

Captain Dubrimi stepped aside. "This is nuts! You'll never –"

"Never get away with this? Puh-leeze, you've been watching too many old movies."

They ran towards her car and jumped in. She spun it around and floored it. As they sped down the road, Derek looked over at her.

"Nova, I never would have figured you to mastermind a jailbreak."

"Actually, it wasn't my idea. It was Sandor's."

"Where are we going?"

"Spaceport. Sandor's ship is in orbit, waiting for us."

"Sandor's ship?" Derek had flashbacks of the _Prometheus,_ and his heart sank. "Oh, no." He sat back and tried to relax, when suddenly the car stopped. He looked out the window to see that the road was barricaded by several Pri'Tan who had just taken notice to their approach. "Great. Now what?"

"Hang on." Nova pulled a lever and slapped the accelerator. The car lifted off the ground and zipped over the Pri'Tan. As they cleared the barricade, Derek looked back to see the Pri'Tan shooting at them.

"Nova!"

She was looking in the rear-view scanner. "Don't worry, I can avoid them!" she assured him, but the shower of sparks from the rear of the car disagreed with her. A warning light went on, then the engine died.

"Oh, shit," she said as the nose dipped. "Hang on!" Safety belts clamped over them automatically, slamming Derek against the seat. The car hit the ground doing about 90 miles per hour, skidded 40 feet, and crashed through a plate glass window. Alarms were going off, both inside the vehicle and out. Nova's door popped open; Derek's popped off completely. They climbed out to see 12 armed insectoids approaching. They stopped about four feet away and aimed their rifles at the two Wildstars. One of the guards chattered unintelligibly, but it was obvious from his gestures that he wanted them to move away from the car.

"Can I grab my purse?" Nova asked, leaning inside to grab for her bag.

The reply was a loud screech and mad waving of his rifle. She grabbed her bag and pulled it up and over her arm, as something fell out and rolled under the seat. Then she moved slowly away from the open door. Derek was doing the same on the other side.

"Derek!" she called.

"What?"

"Duck!" She jumped to her left side and rolled behind a planter. She hoped Derek was doing the same as an explosion tore her car in two. She could hear loud screaming as parts flew overhead.

She counted to 10, then slowly poked her head over what remained of the planter. What was left of her car was lying inside a large hole in the floor. Several burnt Pri'Tan bodies were lying around the wreckage. "Derek!" she called out.

He poked out from behind a column. "I'm here!" He surveyed the scene, then started to move for the gate. "Let's go before they send more!" She followed.

"Docking bay 4, there's a ship waiting!" she called out. They passed and jumped over a number of dead bodies, some Pri'Tan but most of them human. _We'll mourn them later,_ Nova thought. They followed the hall and turned left into a waiting area. The damage in this area wasn't as bad, possibly because there were no people here when the Pri'Tan invaded the port. "I hope it's still here!" she said as she slapped the control panel to the pressure door. It slid open and a gun barrel was thrust in her face.

"WAIT!" a voice called out from inside the ship. She opened her eyes to see Dash's face behind the gun. Doctor Sane was running up behind him. "Nova! You made it!"

Dash lowered the gun and pulled her through the door. "Quickly, get inside!" Then he noticed Derek following. "Commodore!" He gave a quick salute, then grabbed Derek's arm. "Get in!"

They scrambled into seats and looked around. Doctor Sane took his seat and pulled out a rather large bottle. IQ-9's domed head turned to face everyone as he said, "If everyone is aboard, we should depart."

"Go, IQ-9!" Dash shouted. The shuttle lurched forward and then shot upwards.

"How are we going to get into space?" Derek asked. "There are bound to be enemy fighters shooting down anything that flies."

"Our escort should be here –" Dash was cut off by a loud sonic boom. Four fighters shot past them. "Right about now!" Dash finished.

"Dash, what's going on? Where are we going?" Derek asked.

"Good to see you too, sir," Dash replied with a wink. "Sandor's got a ship in orbit. He gave us the coordinates and said to meet him there."

"I see. Well, I know I'd rather go down fighting than sitting in a jail cell."

"Mmm, so, what's it like on the inside, Wildstar?" Doctor Sane croaked, then laughed.

"Remind me to tell you all about it sometime," Derek mumbled.

"Atmospheric boundary in 10 seconds," IQ-9 announced. "So far only 8 of the other ships have reported in."

"What other ships?" Derek asked.

"Why, the rest of the crew, of course!" Doctor Sane said. "Surely you don't think just we five can fly a battleship?"

"I thought all the ships were already in battle," Derek said, staring out the window.

"Not yet," replied Doctor Sane.

"Looks like we have a welcome party out there." Nova was pointing at a small group of Pri'Tan ships approaching.

"Our backup should be right behind them," Dash was looking at a space right behind the enemy ships. Suddenly he smiled. "And there they are!"

Derek spotted the small flashes of light. Several fighter planes appeared out of nowhere, then began firing on the Pri'Tan ships. He almost cheered. "Desslok sent reinforcements!"

"He spotted the Pri'Tan fleet approaching and called in his own fleet," Dash replied.

"Remind me to thank him," Derek said with a relieved grin.

"We'll be passing Desslok's flagship in two minutes, sir," IQ-9 reported.

Derek looked at the tactical display and spotted the _Gamilstadt II._ It was surrounded by several other Garuman ships, and the formation seemed to be surrounding – no, it couldn't be. Why would they be there?

"Sandor to IQ-9, come in!"

"Go ahead, Sandor."

"Do you have everyone on board?"

"Yes sir. Everyone is on board."

"Excellent. Give my regards to Nova on a job well done. I'll see you in a few minutes."

"What's going on here," Derek demanded. "All this secrecy is starting to –"

"Project Phoenix," Dash answered. "Sandor's pet project for the past four months. Wasn't due to be completed for another two, but the Pri'Tan invasion sort of accelerated it."

"Okay, and Project Phoenix is…?"

"That," IQ-9 pointed, "is Project Phoenix."

Derek looked out the window. All he saw was Desslok's flagship, surrounded by planes and carriers. As they approached the Garuman fleet, Derek strained to find what it was they were all referring to. They passed the fleet, and were joined by 16 astro-fighters. "I don't understand, all I see is –"

Ahead of them was the Aquarian Sea. Then he spotted several more ships flying towards the far side. They disappeared from the scanner, which could only mean they went inside. Then it struck him.

_Yamato_.

Derek sank into his chair. "It's not possible!"

Their shuttle passed the front of the bridge section. The ice was thin enough in some spots that Derek could see the hull. He hadn't been this close since the ship was abandoned four years ago, but now it was as if he had never left. Whatever damage was done by the Tritium explosion had been repaired, and the ship looked brand new. The shuttle continued its path down to the underside, and approached the docking ramp. The ice had been removed from the undersection so they could land inside the massive ship.

"It was going to be a surprise, Derek." Nova had slid next to him.

"Oh, believe me, it is! How long have you known?" He turned and kissed her.

"Only since this morning!" she giggled.

"How the hell did Sandor get approval for this?" he asked as the rear door slid open.

"Approval?" Sandor laughed. "Believe me, if General Stone knew about this, he'd be spitting nails!"

"Although, given the current situation, I'd think he'd be happy to see any ship that can fight," Doctor Sane said, pushing his way past.

Derek stepped out and looked around at the landing bay. "I can't believe this! You've rebuilt her!"

"Not just rebuilt. Redesigned from the ground up. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Come on, Commodore," Sandor beckoned. "We need to clear the landing area so the rest of the Black Tigers can land. Your place is on the bridge."

They took the elevator up. The door slid open, and Derek stepped out onto the familiar bridge. He walked around the captain's station as the instrumentation panels lit up. As he walked around the stations, he felt a familiar feeling. The souls of the crew, past and present, were here. Inside the ship, within it, around it. It was as if he was feeling a collective heartbeat.

_Yamato_ was alive once again.

He turned to face the window, which still covered with ice. "How long until we have enough crew to set off?" he asked Sandor.

"Now that's the Wildstar I remember!" Dash shouted.

"Four more ships are incoming. Rest of the bridge crew should be here shortly." Sandor went over to the Science Station and started typing commands into the console. A panel lit up showing sections of the ship, with callouts of each showing operational readiness. As Sandor typed, each callout started scrolling information, and the colors of the sections were changing from yellow to green. Above the humming of the ship coming back online, Derek heard ships flying past the bridge.

"Sounds like we have more arrivals," he said.

"I hope they hurry," Dash said. "It's only a matter of time before the Pri'Tan notice all the activity. Desslok said he would keep them away from the Aquarian Sea, but who knows how long he'll be able to hold them off."

"Sheesh, even Desslok was in on this?" Derek laughed.

"He said there was no greater honor than to guard _Yamato_ until she was under way," Dash said.

The elevator door opened. Derek turned to see Homer and Kitano stepping out, followed by Tim Orion.

"Ah, I see you've already debriefed the Commodore about Project Phoenix," Orion said with a wide smile.

"We were forced to move our schedule up a bit," Dash answered. The bridge crew began to take their places. Dash looked over at Nova. "Um, Lieutenant Commander Wildstar," he began, "Would you honor us by taking your old station at the main radar?" He smirked as he carefully pronounced her rank.

"Oh, you!" She swatted at his hair playfully. "You couldn't pay me to stay away!" She took her seat at the radar console and flicked the switches to enable it. The twin globes instantly glowed with markers of all the surrounding ships.

Sandor called out from the Science Station. "All crew is accounted for save for five. Wildstar, I hope you don't mind having Santiago as Chief Navigator. I know she's fresh out of the academy, but we were short on time in selecting a crew. Since she's already served under you…" He realized that Derek wasn't paying complete attention. He was staring at the navigation chair with a blank expression

_Someone else will have to take that chair. Don't worry Mark, I'll make sure they do you proud._

"Derek!" Derek snapped back to the present.

"Sorry, what?"

"I said your navigator is here!" The young woman was standing behind Sandor. "She just arrived."

"Oh, right. Welcome aboard, Santiago. Good to see you again. I, er, hope you're over what happened with the _Prometheus_."

"Yes, sir, of course. May I ask, are you over it?" She looked at him with an odd expression.

"Sandor, are we ready to get under way?" Derek asked, completely ignoring Maria's question.

"All crew present and accounted for, Wildstar."

"We have a planet to save." He stepped up the rampway to the captain's station and sat down. The crew – Homer, Orion, Kitano, Nova, Maria, and Sandor – were at their stations as well. "Prep for launch. Sandor, I assume you have a way to get this ice off our hull?"

"We can electrify the hull plating. The ice will simply melt away."

"Of course. Get ready. Santiago, begin pre-flight check."

"Yessir." She turned to her console and sat down. She looked over the control board. _¡Dios mio! _she thought._ Everyone's counting on you! Don't screw this up!___She began calling out numbers. "Engine pressure at 80. 90. 100. Start flywheel rotation." She pulled the appropriate lever and the familiar whine could be heard from the engine.

"Maria." Sandor got up and walked over to her. "The _Yamato_ is the largest ship you've flown, yes?"

She nodded. "I have reviewed all the specs though."

"Forget the specs. This ship is faster and more maneuverable than the ship you studied at the academy. She'll practically turn on a dime now, and she packs quite a punch. Just be ready for it."

"Thank you sir." Sandor returned to his station as she called out, "Flywheel rotation at 750. 1100. 1400. 1700. 1900. 2300. 2700. 3000. Connect main –"

"Maria, wait," he called to her again.

She looked over at Sandor, hand poised over the main engine control.

"The flywheel now goes to 5000 rpm before main engine ignition."

"Got it." She checked the gauges. "3800. 4100. 4600. 4900. 5000. Connect main engine!" She yanked back on the lever and the ship shook. The engine roared to life, and the rest of the bridge crew cheered.

"Sandor, clear the ice!" Derek ordered.

Sandor flipped a few switches, and an electric hum could be heard outside the window. There was a loud cracking noise as chunks of ice started to drift away from the window.

Derek stood up and looked out the main window. In the distance, he could see ships trading fire. _I bet they aren't expecting this._ "_Yamato_, take off!"

Maria reached over, hand trembling, and pulled the throttle. "_Yamato_," she repeated shakily, then paused to collect herself. "Take off!"

There was a shake as the ship pulled itself free from its icy tomb. Then, with a massive surge forward, the Wave Motion Engine ignited. The crew whooped and hollered as _Yamato_ shot forward towards the battle.

"Sorry, no time for celebration just yet," Derek said picking up a microphone. "All hands, battle stations."

"WHAT? Are you high?" General Stone was shouting at a radar operator.

"Sir, I am only reporting what I am seeing!" the radar op said defensively.

"What's going on, Stone?" Singleton had come in. His arm was bandaged and he was leaning on the wall like he was having trouble standing up straight.

"Tell the Commander what you just told me!" Stone demanded.

"I said there's another battleship heading towards the Pri'Tan fleet."

"Ah huh, and when I asked you where it was coming from, you said…?"

"The Aquarian Sea."

"Right. And when I asked for its designation?"

"SBB-01." The op winced, awaiting Stone's renewed anger.

Singleton said nothing. He looked up at the radar, watching the blip heading towards the Pri'Tan fleet. "Do we have a visual on it yet?" he asked quietly.

"In about two minutes, sir. Most of our observation sats were –"

"Bring it up as soon as it comes into range," Singleton interrupted. He limped over to a chair and slumped down into it. "And pray that this is not a radar glitch."

"We'll be in firing range in about 20 seconds," Sandor announced.

"20 seconds? Incredible." Derek watched the distance decreasing between them and their first target.

"If we can scan it, we can hit it, remember?" Sandor smiled.

"Dash, Kitano, ready main guns. We've no doubt attracted their attention, so be ready for incoming fire."

"Roger!" Dash turned to Kitano. "You remember what it's like firing the cannons?"

"Yes," Kitano nodded.

"The response time is faster but more precise. Take that into account when tracking your target."

"I am surprised they weren't computerized like the rest of the fleet," Kitano remarked, running his hands over the firing controls.

"_Yamato_ would never let us do such a thing," Sandor replied.

"Distance: 45,000 megameters." Dash lifted his hands from the console. "Okay, Kitano, let's see what you can do."

"Prepare guns for independent firing." Kitano took his gloves off and palmed the controls. "First barrage: FIRE!"

"War Commander, this is Tai'Ri of the carrier _Mandrila._ We've picked up another battleship coming from the far side of the planet. It is in range, and we are starting our attack."

The War Commander's voice came back almost immediately. "Very good, Tai'Ri. Report when it is destroyed."

Tai'Ri never got the chance to fire – the carrier was hit by two beams and disintegrated.

"Target destroyed!" Dash reported.

"Second barrage: FIRE!" Kitano called out. There was a Pri'Tan ship on either side of the _Yamato;_ both opened fire. The forward guns pointed port, and the rear guns pointed starboard, then opened fire. The Pri'Tan ships fired back, then exploded.

"Damage report?" Derek asked as the _Yamato _took direct hits from both sides.

"No damage," Dash replied.

"None? Wow. Nice job."

"Maria," Kitano looked over at her. "Take us above those ships over there." She nodded and changed course. The Pri'Tan ships changed course to intercept this new Earth ship. They began firing as the _Yamato_ approached. "Remember your evasive patterns?"

She nodded and swallowed hard. She'd done extremely well in most of them – in simulation.

"Spin us and loop around them. That should keep their gunners guessing."

"Hang on to your breakfast," Maria warned as she lurched the controls sideways. The ship swung sharply to the port side, turning upside down a bit faster than she expected. Kitano aimed the guns downwards at the attacking ships and fired. The _Yamato_ continued its spin and dropped down next to the row of ships as Kitano realigned the guns to the starboard side. Taking out two more, the ship dropped below the enemy and continued to fire. Maria continued the ship's barrel roll, pushing the left stick too sharply. _Oh, damn!_ she thought as the battleship spun on its axis and turned to face the Pri'Tan ships. Kitano corrected the front cannons' positions and fired, picking off three ships. At the same time, the rear guns fired, taking out two that tried to swing around from behind. The _Yamato_ rotated around, doing a complete 360 degree turn and ended up facing towards the flagship.

"Oops," she said.

"Oops?" Kitano laughed. "I thought you did that on purpose!"

"If anyone asks, I did!" she replied, nodding her head.

"Ship is on visual now!" the radar op reported. Stone and Singleton both leaned towards the main viewer. Both were stunned.

"_Yamato_!" they both said.

"But, how?" General Stone asked. He was so shocked by the site that he forgot to get angry about the lack of approval.

"I don't care how, Stone. Right now, we don't have the luxury of asking how. Just pray that they can turn the tables." Deep down, Singleton also wanted to know how this was possible. If they all survived, he would be sure to ask.

Kri'Do was watching the same image, and asking the same question.

"How is this possible?" he demanded of no one in particular. "How could they have possibly resurrected that ship?" He knew what it was that was approaching. Every warrior was taught to know their enemies, especially THIS enemy. Especially THIS ship. The ship that destroyed their world and sent them to the stars. In the tongue of the Offenders, it was called _Yamato_. In a few minutes, they would be calling it space debris.

"Destroy it!" he ordered. "Get that disgrace out of my site!"

"Commodore, the Pri'Tan are aiming weapons."

"We've got to get close enough to them so we can scan for weak spots," Derek said. "It's unlikely that they'll fall for the same tactic twice."

"Mmm, yes, pretty impressive," Sandor said. "I reviewed the flight logs. They sure weren't expecting that maneuver."

"They will now. We need some other way to hit them, and hit them hard." He stared at the ship as it got larger on the monitor. He pushed the com button. "Black Tigers, keep their guns occupied so we can get a look at them."

"Roger," a voice came back.

"Conroy?" Derek asked.

"It's an honor to serve with you again, Commodore!" the voice came back.

"Yeah, me as well!" Sakamoto said.

"Cut the chatter, Sakamoto!" Conroy said with a chuckle. "You'll get the chance to suck up later!"

The Black Tigers disengaged from the fighters they were harassing and started to buzz the flagship.

"Now, let's see how they react," Derek thought aloud.

"Should be interesting. If they attack us, the fighters can take out their gun turrets. If they attack the fighters, we can attack them unmolested. Their support craft are all occupied with other ships."

"Kitano, start targeting their forward guns," Derek ordered.

"Roger!" The main cannons started firing, taking out turrets. The remaining guns began firing back.

An explosion rocked the ship. "There's your answer," Sandor observed.

"According to what Shir'Pa and Desslok said, this ship destroyed their world. Accident or not, it was our weapon that did it. They aren't going to miss the opportunity to exact revenge."

"Even if it means destroying their own ship in the process." Nova was pointing out the window. "They're turning to head right for us!"

The flagship began turning in order to line up its remaining guns. As it began to fire, Santiago did her best to avoid the beams while staying close.

Sandor was studying the incoming scans. "This thing is at least four times our mass. The hull plating is pretty thick, judging from the data we gathered at Callisto and Brumus. There's got to be a way to outsmart them."

"Sandor," Santiago began.

"Hmm?"

"You said the ship was redesigned. Does that include the warp supercharger?"

"Oh, absolutely. That technology is built right into the wave engine now. We can perform a warp rather quickly."

"I have a wild idea, but it's going to need some pretty precise calculations."

Sandor turned. "Nova, you had better come here. I think warp calculations are your department." She stood and approached the navigation station.

Santiago explained her plan. Sandor closed his eyes and nodded as she spoke, as Nova took notes on a datapad. When Santiago had finished, Sandor opened his eyes.

"Yes, it's pretty wild all right. But I think we can do it. Kitano, how fast can you aim main guns with a two second window?"

Kitano didn't flinch. "Put them in my sights, and I'll hit them."

Derek had been silent during the explanation, but now he spoke up. "Do it." They all nodded and went to their respective stations. After about five minutes, Nova announced that she was done.

"I'm feeding the data to you now, Sandor." He looked at his panel and nodded. "Okay, I'm programming it into the warp computer. Santiago, whenever you're ready. Kitano, stay sharp. Engine room!" he called out.

"Lewis here, Sandor, go ahead."

"We're going to be popping in and out of warp. Keep a close eye on the engine pressure. This will go a bit beyond a standard shake down."

"You got it, Sandor. Engine room out."

Maria pushed the buttons to bring the warp computer online, and the engine began its buildup for a warp.

"Okay, if you thought the last ride was a belly tickler, you ain't felt nothing yet," she said, reaching for the warp activation lever. "Everyone ready?" The rest of the crew shouted out their affirmative. "Let's do this."

She yanked the lever back, then immediately snapped it forward. The wave motion engine whined and _Yamato_ disappeared from normal space.

"War Commander, the ship has disappeared!"

"HA!" Kri'Do shrieked. "They flee with their mammalian tails between their legs! Fools!" He turned to the radar. "Find them!" As he turned back to the main viewer, the ship shook. "What was that?" the War Commander demanded.

"We're taking damage at the rear!"

"Viewer aft!" The viewscreen changed to another view, but there was nothing there to see. "Wha?"

"Good shot, Kitano, keep it up!" Santiago said as she counted down to the next warp. The ship reappeared on the port side, and Kitano aligned the cannons for another attack run. The shock cannons tore small holes in the plating of the Pri'Tan flagships as their turrets started swinging towards the _Yamato._

"And 3… 2… 1… warp!" Santiago said as she yanked the warp lever again.

"Port side! Gunners have no target!" Vro'Ti was starting to sound a bit panicked. Kri'Do didn't like panic.

"Find them!" he demanded again. The ship was rocked by another series of explosions, and one of the consoles exploded. A screech from the ops officer, then he was silent.

"Perhaps they have a cloaking device?" Vro'Ti volunteered.

"Perhaps this entire ship is incompetent! We have the chance to destroy the Offenders and we can't even target them?" Another explosion almost knocked the War Commander off his clawed feet.

"Sir," Vro'Ti said, regaining his balance. "Perhaps we should withdraw to rethink our strategy."

Kri'Do swung with his arm blade and sliced Vro'Ti's head clean off his thorax. The face had a look of surprise as it rolled towards the front of the bridge.

"Perhaps not," Kri'Do said. He looked up at the nav station. "Any further thoughts of retreating will be met with even worse punishment. Clear?"

"Clear, War Commander," the nav operator replied.

"Gunnery! Have you managed to hit them?" Kri'Do's voice sounded like metal grinding.

The _Yamato_ came out of warp underneath the flagship and started firing. Santiago tipped the ship backwards; Dash began ordering missile attacks. The flagship's lower guns began exploding as the missiles hit home. Just as Santiago was about to pull the warp lever again, a sudden impact shook her and she turned to Nova. "What hit us?" she asked.

Nova was already beginning to report. "We're surrounded by enemy fighters. Looks like they've figured out our tactic."

"It lasted two more warps than I expected it to," Sandor replied. "Not bad, Santiago, not bad." Sandor glanced up at Derek.

Derek was looking over the scan of the flagship, assessing its damage. "Their engines are losing power. They're drifting awfully close to Earth's atmosphere. Sandor, is it safe to assume our wave gun will hold up better than the _Prometheus_?" He winked as Sandor cringed.

"I'd bet my life on it, Wildstar."

"Okay then. Kitano, ready wave motion gun. Santiago, get us aimed at that thing's engines."

"Aye sir," they both said.

The swarm of fighters followed as the _Yamato_ headed for the rear of the flagship. Inside the ship, Kri'Do was cackling at the viewer.

"Ah, that tactic again? They think we do not learn from our experiences? Helm, turn us about! Gunnery, destroy them! Order the fighters to keep them from charging that accursed weapon!"

"They're turning," Nova reported.

"That's okay," Derek answered. He was typing something at his console. _I hope they're paying attention over there,_ he thought, staring across the flagship. "Kitano, status of wave gun?"

"Energy is at 80. Twenty-seconds to maximum buildup. Polarize the front window." The main windows tinted to shield against the glare.

"I imagine the wave gun is more powerful too?" Derek glanced at Sandor.

"Hey, I know how much you love surprises," Sandor replied. Nova laughed.

"Energy is at 100, but we're no longer aimed at their engines." Kitano reported.

"That's okay," Derek said, still looking out into space. "I hope."

Homer, who had been oddly silent during the battle, suddenly spoke up. "Wildstar, War Commander Kri'Do wishes to have a word with you."

"Oh, I bet he does," Derek sighed. "Put him on."

The main viewer lit up, and an insectoid appeared. Derek assumed he had seen many battles – one of his antennas was missing, and he was wearing rather menacing curved blades on each of his four arms. Like Shir'Pa, this one had colored markings on his chest, perhaps a rank marking of some form. Derek stood up. "I am Derek Wildstar, captain of the _Yamato_."

Kri'Do clicked his mandibles. "Wildstar, you say? The same Wildstar who destroyed our world?"

"The same, although I take no pride in it."

Kri'Do looked like he was about to fall over in shock. "No? Surely you must feel some sense of satisfaction from your deeds?"

"Destroying your world was not our aim in that system. I regret what happened, and ask that we come to some peaceful solution." _Yeah, like that will change his mind._

Kri'Do laughed with a hiss and more clicking. "You're weak and pathetic, Wildstar. Surely not the warrior I pictured."

Derek was losing patience. "Yet I destroyed the last War Commander that threatened us! Back off or join him."

"Ahh, yes, that's more like it. Too bad no one will be around to remember you for your arrogance." Suddenly the view of the Pri'Tan's bridge shook and distorted. Wildstar could barely make out the excited chattering as the signal broke up. From the far side of the ship, it became evident what had happened – the _Gamilstadt II_ had fired its Desslok Gun at the starboard side of the flagship.

Derek looked down at Kitano. "Fire!"

Kitano snapped to and grabbed the firing trigger. "Fire!" he repeated. With a "click" followed by a loud "thump," the ship shook as the wave gun fired. Even with the tinting, Wildstar still had to squint his eyes at the bright flash. An energy ring flew outwards from the front of the _Yamato_ as the wave gun discharged towards the flagship, which was spinning from the impact of Desslok's surprise attack. The tachyon beam hit the upper part of the flagship, directly in front of the command stalk. It sank right into the ship, causing a massive explosion as the engine core overloaded.

"Back us away from the blast, Santiago," Derek said, sitting back down. The _Yamato_ pulled away from the wreckage of the Pri'Tan ship as it collapsed in on itself, then flashed outwards in a ball of fire. Off in the distance and behind the _Yamato_, the remaining Pri'Tan fleet winked off into warp gates.

"They're leaving!" Nova shouted. "We've won!"

"Yes, for now anyway," Derek said calmly.

"Wildstar, incoming message from Earth Defense Headquarters," Homer called from his station.

"What took them so long?" Dash said with a smirk.

"Put them on, Homer," Derek said. The main viewer flashed an image of General Singleton. The room behind him was a mess, but there were cheers in the background.

"Commodore Wildstar! I had to see it for myself. _Yamato_ truly has risen from the ashes."

"Yes, she has, Commander. Project Phoenix indeed," Derek began, looking over at Sandor.

"I, uh, hope you're not too upset at our little prison break," Nova said nervously.

"The only one upset at anything is Stone, and I can handle him," Singleton said with a wheeze. "Am I to assume you're under my command, or are you not yet done breaking rules?"

"Awaiting your command, sir," Derek saluted.

"You remember what Desslok said about their staging base near Sirius? Go check it out. Find out what we're up against."

"How convenient, we were just on our way there anyway," Derek laughed.

"I'm sure you were, so I'm making it an order to save on paperwork. Good luck, Commodore." The viewer went off.

"He didn't look so good," Nova whispered.

"He'll never admit that though," Homer replied. "He's a tough old bird."

Derek sat down. "Okay, then. Homer, send our regards and our thanks to Desslok. Santiago, head for Sirius. Orion, give the engines a full inspection. Nova, Sandor, my quarters in an hour." With that, Derek's chair retracted back and lifted upwards into his quarters. As he rose upwards, he looked down at Santiago. _You did him proud. Thank you._


	5. 5 Images from the Past

"Come in

"Come in!"

Nova and Sandor walked through the door and closed it behind them. Derek had been staring out at the stars, and almost didn't hear the knock. Now he turned and stood.

"Ah, in uniform, I see." Derek observed. Both had changed into their Star Force uniforms. Derek however was still in his prison jumpsuit. "I suppose I should have put on something a bit more appropriate."

"Wildstar, I figured you would want a breakdown of the overhaul, so I brought some tech specs with me." Sandor laid a datapad and some papers on the table.

"Absolutely. Before that, I wanted to go over the crew roster with you both. I always like to know who I am counting on." Derek took a seat, and the others did the same.

Nova typed some keys on her datapad and slid it over to Derek. "I've got that information here. We're not quite operating with a full crew, but we have enough to run things smoothly if we run some double shifts."

"Yes, we were in a bit of a hurry, so the selection process was incomplete," Sandor apologized. "I chose the best available personnel that weren't already assigned elsewhere. However, word got out that we were recruiting, so we had a few who abandoned their posts to come aboard."

"Strange that I didn't know about this," Derek said.

"You were otherwise occupied," Nova winked. "News travels slowly in the joint."

"Yes, we don't exactly get the morning paper with our powdered eggs," Derek said. "Okay, let's see who we have on board." He started scrolling through Nova's datapad, making some notes on his own. "Ahmmm, okay, Tom Richards. I know this guy. You have him on the computer team, but he's a top notch wrench. I'd like him reassigned to the hangar crew." Nova nodded as Derek continued. "Engine room, we have Lieutenant Tim Orion as Chief Engineer, Lieutenant j.g. Frank Lewis as secondary, what, no Yamazaki?"

Sandor frowned. "Mmm, no, he wasn't available. He's stationed on the _Athena_, and wasn't able to just drop and run. It would have been nice to have him here in case of any glitches in the new engine."

"We'll make do. Gunnery crew, check. Sick bay is fine; I assume Dr. Sane hand picked his team. Okay, everything looks good. Now, what about the ship?"

Sandor slid a datapad with a large viewing area over to Derek. "Of course, you've already seen the guns in action, and the wave motion gun."

"I still see spots." Derek blinked his eyes a few times.

"We increased the power output and range. I know you don't want to hear the word 'prototype' right now, but we're the first ship to use it. The enhanced pressure chamber allows us to pack more power into each shot. Recovery time is a lot quicker too, so we're not so defenseless after firing."

"Santiago's little demonstration of the warp drive was rather impressive," Nova pointed out.

"Yeah, wow. We can just pop in and out of warp like that?" Derek was scrolling through the notes to the engine specs.

"It's a bit more stress than I wanted to place on the engine, but in theory her idea was sound," Sandor replied. "I wouldn't recommend adopting that as a standard tactic."

"Adaptive shielding? What's that?" Derek pointed at the line on the datapad. "There's no data here."

"Ah, yes, that's because it's not finished yet. Remember the shield we used when we returned from Iscandar?"

"It reflected Desslok's cannon blast right back at him," Derek said.

"Right. I used it that one time, and then found out it almost completely drained our batteries. It was a lucky thing we were at the end of our journey or we might have been in some trouble. I decided not to use it again until I was able to research it further. In theory, we could shield the ship with a field that can analyze the energy being used against it. The field would then modify itself to protect the ship."

"You did say 'theory' though," Nova pointed out.

"Yes, another one of our bright ideas that doesn't quite work yet," he sighed. "I intend to work on that on our way to Sirius. Eventually we're going to run out of surprise tactics and have to face them head on."

The lights in the room changed to red, and Homer's voice shouted over the intercom. "Commodore Wildstar, report to the bridge!"

Derek thumbed the talk button. "On my way." Sandor and Nova ran out the door as Derek dropped into his chair and descended down to the bridge.

"You sped this chair thing up, didn't you?" Derek asked Sandor as he ran past from the elevator. "Report, Homer," he ordered.

Homer read from a printout. "It's a distress call from the Deimos Mining Colony. We're reading complete devastation down there. I am not getting any response. It could be an automated beacon, or whoever sent it…"

"Okay. Send a recon team down there to check it out. Santiago, change course and head for Deimos. If there's anyone left down there, we gotta check it out."

"Right," Homer said as he turned back towards the communications station.

"Aye sir, changing course," Santiago acknowledged.

Derek looked out the front window. He couldn't see anything but blackness and stars ahead of him, but he knew they'd reach the asteroid belt within the hour. Perfect place for an ambush. "Homer, radio Earth, let them know we're responding to a distress call from Deimos."

"Yes sir."

Derek caught the message on his status terminal that a recon ship had launched. He briefly saw it through the front window as it sped away towards Deimos. _Nothing to do now but wait._ Then another message caught his eye.

FROM: radarop

TO: cptstation

Smile, dammit!

Derek glanced over at Nova, who was looking back at him and winking. He smiled back, then turned towards Homer as a radio message came in.

"_Yamato_, this is Watson on Recon 3. We're over the mining colony, but we're not picking up any life signs at all. Whatever sent that distress signal is probably running on backup batteries. There's nothing down there worth salvaging."

"I see," Derek sighed. "Return to the _Yamato_."

"Roger," came the reply.

Nova said quietly, "There were 25 people at that colony."

"Homer, notify Earth."

"Yes sir."

"Santiago, when the recon ship returns, I want you to warp to Jupiter's orbit. Avoid the asteroid belt. I don't trust it."

"Aye sir. Lieutenant Commander, would you run the numbers for me?"

"I'm on it," Nova answered. "And please, call me Nova."

"Yes, ma'am."

Nova shot her a look, then smiled.

Santiago turned to Derek to ask a question, but he was gone.

Derek was lying on his bed, staring out the large domed window. He had finally changed into a proper uniform, but didn't feel like returning to the bridge just yet. A knock on the door broke him out of his daydreams.

"Yes?"

He heard Maria Santiago's voice outside the door. "Commodore, sir? May I come in?"

"Yes, come in Ensign." He sat up and ran a hand through his hair as she walked in. She saluted, and he returned it. "Ensign, I am not one for ceremony. There's no need to salute me every time you enter a room. It just makes your arm tired."

"Yes sir," she replied. "I tried to radio you that we were ready for warp, but your com was off."

Derek nodded but said nothing.

Santiago shuffled a bit, then asked, "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Always. What's on your mind?"

"Well, I was just wondering if you had any problems with my performance. Or perhaps with me personally."

Derek looked at her for a moment, wondering where this had come from. "Sit down, Ensign."

"Sir, if it's not too far from protocol, you can call me Maria."

"Maria, you're going to find that on the _Yamato_, protocol often goes out the porthole." She smiled as she sat down. "I guess I owe you an explanation. It isn't you at all. Your performance on the _Avatar_ was fine, and you demonstrated exceptional piloting skills when we went up against the Pri'Tan fleet. Mark would have –"

"Mark? As in Mark Venture?"

Derek nodded. "Yes. I'll admit that I had a difficult time seeing someone else in that chair. But what you did today, well, I know Mark would have been proud."

"You were very close to him, I take it."

"Mark and I go way back. We were the best of friends. Rivals at times, oh yes. We fought over sports, games, we were even in love with the same woman. But we were always friends. He died defending this ship."

"I'm sorry, sir. I knew he had died in duty, but I didn't know the circumstances."

Derek walked over to the window and looked out at the front of the ship. "He landed the _Yamato_ on the Dinguil's floating city, and we mounted an offensive. He was shot, but he kept it hidden until we were safely away." He turned and looked back at her. "You have some pretty big shoes to fill, Maria. I know I can count on you though."

She smiled and said, "Thank you sir. I was afraid I had done something wrong."

"No, it's nothing you did. I have had a lot on my mind, and I guess it's affecting others now too. You have my permission to toss a shoe at me if I do it again."

"I'll try not to take too much pleasure in it, sir," she laughed. "If you'll excuse me, I should get back to the bridge."

"Of course," Derek said. "I'll be down in a few minutes."

Maria turned to leave, stopping for a moment to offer a half-hearted salute, which turned into a wave as she walked out the door. Derek turned back to the window and sighed. Then he got up and put his boots on, sat down in his chair, and rode it back down to the bridge.

"Okay, Sandor," he said as he dropped down to his console. "I've already seen how fast this ship can warp, what about how far?"

"A warp to Jupiter is barely flexing our muscles, Wildstar," Sandor boasted.

"Fine, then recompute for Pluto."

"Sir?" Santiago asked.

"If the Pri'Tan are working from old data, they'll expect us to warp as far as we can, which from here used to be Jupiter's orbit. Well, we're going to Pluto. Nova, recompute coordinates."

"Yes sir," Nova replied. She started working the calculations, then sent them over to Maria. "There you go, Ensign."

"Thanks, ma'am. Plotting new course."

"Warp when ready, Ensign," Derek ordered.

"Right." She picked up a com and spoke into it. "Attention all hands, this is the bridge. We will be performing a space warp in, oh, about two minutes. Find something solid to hold onto, and don't put your face above anything you don't wanna puke on. You're in for one hell of a ride." She put down the mic and looked back, to find the whole bridge was staring at her. "What?" she asked. She activated the switches to enable the warp circuits, and placed her hand on the activator lever.

"Incoming!" Nova shouted. "Range, 8,000 megameters. They appeared out of nowhere!"

"Time until we're in their firing range?" Derek asked. The ship rocked as a missile hit the rear deck. "Scratch that. Maria, get us out of here."

"And away we go!" she said, pulling back the lever. The ship shuddered a bit, then shot forward as it entered warp. Two minutes later, it reappeared near Pluto. "Warp complete" she reported, opening her mouth wide and shaking her head from side to side. She picked up the microphone again and said, "Attention all hands, this is your pilot speaking. We thank you for flying Earth Defense Airlines. Welcome to Pluto, where the local time is 1220 hours. You are now free to move about the ship, once you've found your pants."

"Ensign!" Derek shouted.

"Wow," Homer exclaimed. "I left my stomach back at Mars."

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Nova said.

"Yeah, take it a bit easy on re-entry next time, huh Ensign?" Dash joked.

"Sorry guys, I figured you veterans would be a bit tougher than that," she shot back with a toss of her hair.

"I hope Dr. Sane packed extra motion sickness pills!" Homer said.

"Sandor, what's the ship's status?" Derek asked.

Sandor was already checking readouts. "All systems are green, Wildstar."

"Yeah, so is the crew!" Dash called out. Maria stuck her tongue out at him.

"Okay, kids," Derek began.

"I'm reading numerous enemy ships, in no particular formation," Nova interrupted. "Their flight paths are completely random."

"Which can only mean one thing," Derek concluded. "They're attacking something. What's near us?"

"Pluto Observation," Nova called out. "Derek, Eager's on that station!"

Derek nodded. "Homer, contact them and get a situation report. Black Tigers launch and protect that station. Medical teams stand ready."

Homer grabbed his headset and shoved it over his head. "They got the size wrong on this thing," he quipped. "Pluto Observation, this is _Yamato_. Come in Pluto Observation, this is _Yamato_."

There was static for a few seconds, then a voice crackled over the line. "Jesus Christ, I thought our equipment was malfunctioning! It really is you!" A pause, then "This is Corporal Ken Jackson. We're taking a pretty hard beating down here. As much as we don't want to abandon our work, we need an emergency evac."

"We read, Corporal. What's your status?"

"Power's down in most of the complex. So far we count four dead and six critically wounded, and life support is failing in the main crew quarters. You've gotta get these damned bugs off our backs!"

"Roger, Corporal, we're sending fighter support. Hang tight; we'll get you out of there shortly. _Yamato_ out." He looked over at Derek, who nodded. Homer flipped a switch and said, "Search and rescue team at the ready. Pluto Observation Base reports wounded. Get over there as soon as there's a clearing."

Nova stood up. "Derek – er, I mean, Commodore," she blushed. "Permission to lead the SAR team."

His first instinct was to say no, it was too dangerous, but he had made that mistake when they left Earth to go to Telezart. She was, however, a crew member and had the right to take the same risks as everyone else. She was more than capable of taking care of herself.

"Go," he said. She ran off the bridge to the elevator. _And be careful,_ he thought.

While the Black Tigers attempted to keep the Pri'Tan fighters occupied, a lone medical shuttle flew into the docking bay of the orbital station. The team rushed out of the shuttle, dragging medical kits. They reached the entry door, which wouldn't budge.

"Power's down," Ensign Watson reported. He grabbed a panel and pulled it off the wall. Yanking down on a lever inside, the door made a "clunk" sound as the mechanical locks disengaged. He shoved the door open and the group stepped through. Watson followed, sliding the door shut behind him. The room was a mess, with cabinets and chairs strewn everywhere.

IQ-9 took the lead, lighting the way with a spotbeam. "This way," he said. "I am picking up life signs behind that door," he pointed. "Very faint."

Watson repeated his trick and opened the door, then two medics ran in and started checking the bodies on the floor. Of the four lying in the debris, only two were still alive.

"Take them back to the shuttle," Nova ordered. She looked back down the hall into the darkness. "IQ, can you detect any others?"

"Scanning. Yes, down that way. One more." He pointed towards the dark hallway.

"Go ahead, guys," one of the medics said. "We got it from here." They set up a portable light and started tending to the wounded.

The rest of the team made their way down the hall. Watson was about to crack the door, when IQ put an arm out and stopped him. "Wait," the robot said. "The hall on the other side of this door has been damaged. We should use caution." Watson nodded, then opened the door.

As the door popped open, the team realized IQ-9 had grossly understated the situation. The hall on the other side of the door was completely gone. Left in its place was a large hole leading out into space, and the surface of Pluto could be seen beneath them. Roughly 50 meters away was the other door.

"Damn, it looks like something took a bite out of the station," Ensign Gorson said.

"Okay, IQ, get a guide line across," Nova asked. "We don't want to lose anyone."

"Right," IQ-9 replied, raising his arm. His hand launched from his arm, towing a line behind it. It grabbed a pole on the other side of the opening. "Okay, everyone across!" he said.

Nova started shoving people out the door. "Let's go, move!" she ordered, as the team started pulling themselves across. When they had all gone, she grabbed hold of the line and started after them.

She was about halfway across when she heard Gorson shouting, "Lieutenant, watch out!" She looked around and saw a Pri'Tan fighter heading towards her from below the station. She started moving faster towards the others. Just then the Pri'Tan fighter exploded from a missile hit, sending debris in all directions. She shrieked as a chunk of metal started rolling right at her. Suddenly she felt a thump from behind her, and she was shoved towards the rest of the team. A loud explosion was heard behind her as the remains of the Pri'Tan ship crashed through the structure, separating the two halves of the complex. She opened her eyes and found herself staring up at IQ-9.

"Are you all right, Nova?" the robot asked.

She stood and brushed herself off. "I think so. Thanks IQ," she said. She looked back at the opening and saw the landing bay floating away from them. "Well, I guess we're not going back that way. Let's go. Gorson, radio the shuttle, make sure they are okay." He nodded and grabbed for his radio as the team moved into the next room.

This area was lined with computers. Nothing appeared to be working, although some emergency lights were flickering. A lift was in the corner of the room, but there wasn't much chance of it being functional without power. On the other side of the room was a ladder.

"The life reading is above us," IQ-9 reported.

"Okay then, up we go," Nova said as the team made its way towards the ladder. They shoved some equipment out of the way to clear a path, then ascended. The ladder shaft being too small, IQ-9 used his jet boosters to go up the elevator shaft. Even with the decreased gravity, it took about two minutes for them to climb to the control tower.

Watson was first off the ladder. He popped the hatch and hopped across the room to check out a body slumped over a terminal. He shook his head as he passed over two people who weren't able to get their helmets on in time. One of them was staring up at him, eyes wide in terror.

Gorson, Nova, and the rest of the team appeared through the hatch and looked over the room. Watson was across the room near a workstation, waving to them. "This one's alive, but he's trapped," he reported. Nova pushed off, sending her body floating across the room. She'd been through countless hours of weightlessness training, yet for some reason she felt sick to her stomach this time. _Keep it together! You are NOT going to puke in your helmet!_ She reached the terminal and looked at the man's face.

"Eager!" She started checking him over with a med scanner. "Wake up, Chris. Come on, I know you're in there," she was saying. The med scanner readings started scrolling – he was alive, but he needed medical attention if he was to stay that way. "Watson, can you pull the chair out from under that terminal? We need to get him to the shuttle."

Watson did not answer. She looked up at him to repeat her question, only to find him staring back at her. His mouth was open, but he made no sound. She looked at him quizzically, then his body rose into the air revealing a Pri'Tan warrior standing behind him. The Pri'Tan was holding a spear, with Watson impaled on the end.

"Um, guys?" she said. Gorson jumped over to her, drawing his sidearm, but the Pri'Tan already had his rifle out. He fired once, tearing a hole through Gorson's chest. Blood exploded outward and floated in blobs behind him as he drifted backwards from the force of the blast. The Pri'Tan now turned its attention to Nova. It made what might have been a snickering sound as it aimed, then it screeched and arched backwards. It slumped to the floor.

"Sorry I'm late," IQ-9 said, tossing a metal beam aside.

"Just in time, IQ!" Nova responded. She checked Watson, found no pulse, then turned to the medic over Gorson. The medic turned back and shook his head. _Damn_. She looked back at IQ-9. "Help me get Eager out of here." IQ-9 grabbed the computer that had Eager pinned to the chair and pushed it aside like it was made of cardboard, then carefully scooped up Eager's body. A groaning sound was heard, as Eager opened his eyes. He looked over at IQ-9, then at Nova.

"Hey," he croaked weakly. "If you two ain't a sight fer sore eyes."

"Stay still, Chris, we're getting you out of here." Nova administered a pain killer.

"What about the others?" Eager asked.

"So far we've taken two people to the shuttle. You're the only one we found up here." She didn't want to distress him by revealing the two crewmen who had asphyxiated not six feet away from him.

"Dang it all. I sent everyone to the escape ships when the bugs showed up."

IQ-9 beeped for a bit, then said, "I am only detecting one escape ship missing from the hangar. Two were destroyed before they could take off, the others were never even powered up."

"I'm sorry, Chris," Nova whispered. "IQ, can you get him down the shaft?"

"Yes, Nova," IQ-9 replied. He turned and started rolling towards the elevator.

"Hey, is it true what they were sayin'? _Yamato_ is here?"

Nova smiled. "It's true, and we're taking you there now." She turned to the other medics. "Come on, guys. There's nothing more we can do here."

They returned to the room below. She opened the door to what used to be a hallway, to find the medical shuttle hovering there. The door opened and the pilot came back to help them load Eager inside.

"Need a lift?" the pilot asked with a grin.

"Who would have thought we'd find a taxi at this hour?" Nova laughed.

"What happened to Watson and Gorson?" the pilot asked.

Nova bowed her head. "We ran into an uninvited guest. Everyone else make it out okay?"

"Yes, right before that fighter hit the complex. We decided to wait here for you."

"Thanks. Let's get these men back to the ship. Go get Watson and Gorson's bodies, please." She closed the rear door behind them and waited for the medics to return. Once the bodies of her team were secured, the shuttle made its way back to the _Yamato_. Nova looked out the rear window and watched the Black Tigers chase off the last of the enemy ships. The station was broken into several pieces, and she thought it was better that Eager couldn't see it.

The shuttle landed in the hangar bay with a bump. Nova popped the rear hatch and staggered out, shouted for assistance with gurneys, then leaned up against the side of the shuttle to catch her breath.

Conroy hopped out of his fighter and ran over to the shuttle. He looked at Nova and asked, "Are you okay? You don't look so good."

Nova's response was to throw up all over Conroy.

Space Battleship _Yamato_, Sick Bay, 1345 hours

"…and that's when all Hell broke loose," Eager explained. He'd been bandaged up and was lying in bed, relating the events leading up to the destruction of the Observatory. "We barely got the warning when they were right on top of us."

"Their fighters are extremely fast, and they have some sort of warp capability." Derek said. "We're working on speeding up our fighters and improving the targeting locks on our missiles."

"They strafed us several times, taking out key systems on each pass. First communications, then life support. It was as if they knew where to hit us."

"First they make sure you can't call for help, then they take away your oxygen supply and gravity." Derek frowned. "What I can't figure out is why they withdrew when we showed up. They could have easily destroyed the rest of the station."

"Perhaps they weren't expectin' reinforcements so quickly after their attack on Earth," Eager offered. "They figured everyone would be so busy picking up the pieces that they could just declare open season on our colonies and bases."

"Perhaps," Derek said thoughtfully.

Eager bowed his head. "So, how many made it out?"

"We got you, Jackson, and Tibbits out on our shuttle. We also retrieved an escape ship with Kerowski, Lebaum, and Antos."

"Six out of 12. Dang it all. My first command and I lose half my team."

"I'm sorry we weren't there sooner. Get some rest, I'll check in on you later." Eager nodded and settled back into his pillow. Derek turned to walk away, then turned back and said, "Oh, and welcome aboard." He walked down the row to another bed. Nova was sitting on this one, protesting the checkup Dr. Sane was trying to give her.

"Now, come on, Nova, people don't just throw up for no reason. Let me check you out!" He was trying to cram a penlight and tongue depressor into her mouth but she kept moving her head away.

"No, no, no! I'm fine! It's been a few years since I was in space, and seeing all those dead bodies, and the weightlessness, well, I guess I'm a bit rusty."

"We didn't have time to do a medical screening on everyone this time around, so if you're sick, I need to know!" He tried again with the light, but she would have none of it.

"Doctor, please, I am fine! I need to return to duty!" Then she noticed Derek standing there.

"Nurses make the worst patients," Derek said with a smirk.

"Oh, just wait until she's a doctor! She'll be intolerable!" Dr Sane huffed. "Fine, fine. But I want you to tell me if this happens again, okay?"

"Okay, okay!" she said. She got up and walked out. Derek followed her into the hall.

"Nova?" he said delicately.

"Oh, come on, not you too!"

"I just want to know if you're being honest. You don't have to act tough around us. You're not trying to impress a bunch of Marines this time."

"I know. Really, I feel better. I think it's just too much at once. Come on, you've never gotten sick in space?"

"Well, there was the first flight to Mars. Venture was showing off and I barfed all over my lap."

"There, see? Even the mighty Derek Wildstar isn't immune." She hugged him and said, "Really, darling, I'm okay. Okay?"

"Okay, if you say so."

She ran off saying, "See you on the bridge!"

Pri'Tan Staging Base, in orbit around the sixth planet of the Sirius System – 1430 hours, Earth time

Shoreth walked down the massive hall that lead to the King's chambers. The guards blocking the door stepped to either side to allow him to pass, and he entered. Inside he saw the rest of the King's advisors waiting for him. Lanis, the King's Second, was staring at Shoreth with cold eyes.

"You're late!" Lanis hissed.

"With apologies," Shoreth said, "I was detained."

"Please, enlighten us on what was so much more important than this meeting," King Ham-Sha'Ctu said slowly.

"Ah, yes, of course," Shoreth began. "We were receiving word back that Kri'Do was bombarding the planet the Offenders call 'Earth' and I left to come here. Before I could leave the monitoring complex, I was summoned back; it seems that a report came in that the Offenders were attacking with a new ship."

"And this was worth your time?" Lanis asked angrily.

"This new ship was the _Yamato,_" Shoreth said carefully to make sure everyone heard it correctly. "The Offenders destroyed the _Stinger_ and dozens of Kri'Do's support ships."

There was a flurry of clicking and chittering, until King Ham-Sha'Ctu tapped the floor with his cane.

Lanis spoke first. "Please, please, everyone. Surely this is a mistaken report. Our last recon said the _Yamato_ was encased in ice, orbiting the Offenders' planet."

"Yes, but the recon fled in shame when the Offenders got near," Fri'Ja accused.

"I killed those pilots myself!" spat Hu'Ki. "Those Fledglings will never disgrace us again. What more can you ask of me?"

Lanis raised one arm. "No one is questioning your loyalty, Hu'Ki." Fri'Ja started to say something, but backed down when Lanis glanced at him. "Those pilots received their punishment as dictated by our laws. However," he now looked back at Fri'Ja, "as top military advisor, it was YOUR responsibility to make sure more ships were sent to do the job right. Did you do this?"

"I, ah, well, no, you see… I ordered the attack on their cities. Our King approved it!"

"Based on incomplete information!" Lanis pointed at Fri'Ja. "You dare to accuse others of disloyalty and incompetence, yet you shirk your own duties to our King?"

"Enough, Lanis," the King spoke. "We have far greater things ahead."

Lanis turned and bowed his head. "Of course, my King."

"How much longer until the _Polistes_ is ready?" the King asked.

"Two more weeks. Ahead of schedule." Fri'Ja said proudly. "I was able to motivate the workers to work faster."

"And how many of them died from your motivation?" Shoreth retorted.

"You're just mad because I am taking your best people!" Fri'Ja folded his upper and lower arms and clicked loudly.

"You leave me no one to man the defense platforms, or the recon ships! What if we're attacked?"

Fri'Ja laughed. "By whom? The Offenders will never find us, even with help from the blue ones. If they did, they would be too late anyway. Their wretched planet is ours."

Lanis looked down from his seat next to the King. "Your pride had better serve us, instead of them."

Fri'Ja turned and glared at the Second. "Lanis, you have challenged me since the day you were chosen as Second! Do you somehow think you're better than all of us, just because you managed to fool the King into believing you worthy? The only reason you're even in that position is because the King's own son was killed by the Offenders and no one else was around to challenge you! You, who never even completed _non-kla_ – the First Bloodletting. You, who have never taken a life with your own hands, nor even been wounded in battle. Have you ever even SEEN a battle through your own eyes? You are not worthy of the weapon you wield. Tell me, has it ever tasted blood?"

Lanis stood and raised his lower left arm, which was fitted with a _pron-ta_ – a long, razor sharp poker typically attached directly to the lower arm bone. "You dare to speak against me? For when you speak against me, you speak against your King. You KNOW the penalty for such blasphemy."

Fri'Ja did not back down. Instead, he stood and approached Lanis, raising his _ran-ti_, a hooked blade fitted onto his lower right arm. "It is not blasphemy, but rather in the peoples' best interests that you be removed. Do not believe that no one sees your true intentions. You were a bad choice, and that needs to be corrected."

"Corrected? How? Don't even presume that you are worthy. I should discipline you myself as I would any Fledgling non-believer!" Lanis raised his _pron-ta_ as if to strike.

"You will do no such thing, Lanis." King Ham-Sha'Ctu spoke quietly and slowly. Everyone turned to face him as he continued. "Fri'Ja, do you question my choice of Second?"

"I… I do, my King. I do not feel that Lanis is worthy of the honor of being your Second."

"And do you feel that you are worthy of that honor?"

Fri'Ja swallowed, then said, "Yes. I do."

"Then you challenge Lanis for the Rite of Ascension?" The Second was usually one of the King's offspring, but if the King had no heirs, a Second was appointed by the Rite of Ascension. This Rite gave the Second rights and benefits as if he had been the King's own son. The challenge to become Second usually involved bloody duels, until the last one left alive was given the title of Second, and thus became heir to the throne.

"I do challenge."

"You understand that if you win the challenge, you will become Second," the King said.

"Yes, my King."

"And if you lose, you will be at the mercy of the winner. I cannot intervene on anyone's behalf." _Nor would I if I could_, he thought. There was a certain pleasure in watching people fight for your position.

"Yes, my King."

"Very well. If you must do this, then so be it." The King clapped his hands, summoning two large guards. "No one enters or leaves this room until the challenge is complete," he said to them. They nodded and pounded their spears against the floor. One positioned himself by the door, while the other stood next to the King. It wouldn't be the first time someone tried to take the King's life while everyone was distracted.

Lanis stepped down from the dais and approached Fri'Ja. "Are you sure you really want to do this? You can back down now, and no one would have to know."

Fri'Ja laughed. "Lanis, you've never been in a real battle before. You always have others do your dirty work. What fear should I have?" He raised his _ran-ti_ towards Lanis.

"Very well," Lanis said, thrusting his _pron-ta_ at Fri'Ja. A purple electric bolt shot between them, lighting up the room and striking Fri'Ja in the midsection. When the beam disappeared, Fri'Ja was standing, trembling. His arm was still raised in an attack posture, but he was not moving.

"What?" Shoreth demanded. "What just happened?"

"You cheated!" Hu'Ki said, amazed. "The law dictates that the challenge must be through hand-to-hand combat!"

"I did use my hand. You all saw it. The law does not state that my hands must touch the challenger. Just that only hands or hand-grafted weapons are used. As you are all free to examine, my _pron-ta_ is in fact grafted to my arm."

"You have obviously modified it somehow!" Shoreth accused. "The challenge is invalid!"

"The law does not prohibit such a thing," Lanis said proudly. "A true warrior would have expected anything. He was so convinced I posed no threat that he let his guard down. That was his undoing. Surely someone so short-sighted is not worthy to be Second."

"Agreed," King Ham-Sha'Ctu announced. "Such an incompetent fighter is not worthy of ruling the people, and thus cannot be Second. His life is in your hands, Lanis."

Lanis approached Fri'Ja and stared into his face. "The beauty of the _ven-ta_ – that's what I have decided to call it – is that the victim can still see and hear what's going on around them. Much more fitting for someone to see their end coming, don't you agree?" Lanis walked around Fri'Ja as he spoke. "I could kill you now, and put an end to your annoying whining, and there's nothing at all you can do to stop me. No one would question it – you challenged me and lost. It is my right to kill you, here and now." He looked into Fri'Ja's eyes and poked Fri'Ja's neck with his _ven-ta_. "Is that fear I see? Good. The correct reaction for one about to meet death. He who has no fear, has no sense of preservation."

Lanis turned to the King and declared. "Death is too easy. I shall spare his life, so he may henceforth live with the shame of failing the challenge against one he called unworthy."

"So be it," the King said, rising from his throne. He hit the floor with his cane twice, and the guards returned to their posts on either side of the dais. "You are all dismissed." Everyone made for the door quickly, except for Fri'Ja, who was still motionless. "How long will he be stuck like that?" the King asked.

"Oh, it wears off in about ten minutes." Lanis walked past Fri'Ja, saying "Expect to be in excruciating pain for the next day or two." He snickered and left the room.

Space Battleship _Yamato_ – 2230 hours, Earth time

"Commodore, we're just about to leave the Sol System."

Derek reached up and hit the talk button on his intercom. "Thank you, Ensign Farnsworth. Let me know if we run into any trouble." As soon as he said it, he realized how silly that was. Of course he would know if anything happened. Missiles impacting the hull are difficult to sleep through.

"Aye, sir," Farnsworth said.

Derek looked up at his clock, then over at the sleeping woman next to him. She had a rough few days, and this was the first real sleep she had since he had been tossed into the detention center. He, on the other hand, couldn't seem to relax enough to get any rest. Once again, the Earth was under attack, and once again, he was the one rushing to the rescue. However, this time was different. This time, the enemy wasn't attacking unprovoked. Earth – no, HE – had fired the first shot. With one blast of the wave motion gun, he had wiped out not one world, but dozens. Now one of those worlds wanted revenge, and who was he to say that they weren't entitled to it? Every time Earth had been attacked, they had fought back. Now the Pri'Tan were fighting back. Perhaps there was no peaceful solution to this, but did he have the right to destroy a race that was trying to protect what was left of their people? That made him no better than Prince Zordar.

Zordar. He traveled across the galaxy, enslaving entire planets, destroying civilizations who opposed him. All for – what, exactly? Why had he targeted Earth? What did we ever do to him? Did there have to be a reason? Maybe he was just power hungry. The only one he feared was Trelaina, although why never became clear. If Mark ever found out the connection, that information died with him.

"It isn't something I recommend."

Huh? "Who's that?"

"Hiya, Wildstar." Derek strained to see who was speaking, but the room had become dark.

"Who's there?"

"You don't remember your old friend?"

"Mark!"

He suddenly saw Mark standing before him, still dressed in his Navigator's uniform. "And here I thought you'd forgotten already."

"Never! Mark, how? Where are you?"

"I'm sure you have many questions, but I can't answer them. I'm just here to tell you that sometimes, you have to let go. You wouldn't let go of _Yamato_, and you won't let go of me. Now you've got _Yamato_ back, but I'm not going to be sitting in that chair. Not this time."

"Of course not, I mean, you're…"

"Then don't compare Maria to me. She's her own person, and a damned good pilot. Give her a chance. You were right, I am proud of her, but don't hold that over her head. She doesn't need my approval, just yours."

"I'm sorry, Mark."

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."

"Mark, I really wish we had known you were wounded. We could have saved you."

"Get out of the past, Wildstar. It's done. It's over, and you can't change it. The only thing you can do is learn and move on. Given the chance to do it over, I would make the same choice. I am content in that the ship made it to safety, and that you two are happy." Mark nodded to the sleeping Nova. "I, too, am happy."

"Is Trelaina with you?" Derek asked.

"In a way. It's difficult to explain. I know it sounds strange, but it's very hard to explain the afterlife to those who are not there yet. Suffice to say, the afterlife is different for each person."

"Funny how I was just thinking about you and here you are."

"That's sort of why I am here. You can't depend on those who have passed on. Trelaina cannot help you this time. She did her part, and gave her life to save yours. She made the ultimate sacrifice."

"Then why am I being haunted with images of the past? If I am not supposed to look to the past, then why am I revisiting it?"

"I can't answer that. As I said, you can look to the past for guidance, and understanding, but you can't depend on people from the past to save you."

"I don't understand!"

"You will. Now, I must go. I am needed elsewhere, as are you."

"Wait!"

"What is it, Derek? Wait for what?" Nova rolled over and looked at him. He was sitting up in bed, staring out into space.

"Um, sorry."

"Derek, you should be sleeping. It's 0300." She rolled back over and flopped her head down on the pillow, mumbling something about fudge. He laid back down and stared upwards.

Bridge – 0930 hours

"Maria, ready for warp to the Sirius system."

"Aye, sir. Warp in one minute. Hang on this time, ya crybabies." A flying donut barely missed the back of her head.

Derek yawned and looked down at the star chart. Sirius was only about 9 light years away, and they could have been there much sooner, but it wasn't a good idea to do long-range warps so close to a star. The calculations were much more difficult, so most ships did short warps until they left the gravitational influence, then did a long warp to wherever they were going. There was also the chance of warping right into the middle of the Pri'Tan fleet, so Derek decided to warp just short of the system and send recon patrols.

"Warp!" Maria's announcement woke him up just in time to feel that queasy feeling of having your stomach turned inside out and emptied back into itself. The ship traveled even faster between points now, so warps were shorter but the resulting nausea was longer.

The ship returned to real-space and things around Derek solidified once again. The buzzing sound in his ears was replaced with the sound of Nova retching onto the deck.

"Ew, sick!" Homer shouted.

"Nova!" Derek ran down the ramp to her but she was waving him away.

"I'm fine," she started to say, then let loose again.

"Oh, ick!" Derek said. "I'm taking you to sick bay, now!"

"No, Derek, please!"

"And would someone get a cleaning crew up here? Oh, wow," Derek said holding his nose. He managed to drag her towards the elevator, despite her kicking.

The elevator began to descend, as Nova started to cry. "Nova, what's the matter? If you're sick, I need to know. I want to know." He tried to put a hand on her cheek, but she pulled away.

"I've put in just as much space time as everyone else, what's the matter with me?"

"How long has it been since you've been off-world?"

"Space hasn't changed in that amount of time. Maybe I'm just getting old."

"Nova, you're not even 30 yet."

"You say that like 30 is the end of the world!" She stared at him red-eyed.

"I didn't! I mean, I don't think that!"

"Yeah, maybe you don't now." She turned to face the wall. Derek shrugged.

The door opened, and he led her to the medical wing. She wriggled out of his grasp, saying "I know where it is, Derek!" They arrived, and Dr Sane came over to meet them.

"Good morning! Homer tells me you're not feeling well again," he said, looking up at Nova. "Tell me, how long has this been going on?"

"Since the Pri'Tan started bombing Earth. I still think it's just stress."

"Mm hmm, well, let me be the judge of that. Please, step behind the screen and disrobe." She shot him a look. "Come on, you know the drill! Get in there!"

She threw her arms up and went over to the other side of the curtain. She hung her uniform over the screen as she muttered, "Fine, fine! Go ahead, poke and prod me all you want."

"Funny you should mention that, Nova," Dr Sane said. "Nurse Drucker, please get a blood sample from the Lieutenant?"

"Yes Doctor," the young woman said, going into a cabinet for a blood kit.

"Ohhh, no! You're not sticking me with that!" Nova shrieked as Nurse Drucker came in with a syringe and collection flask.

"She's getting feisty in her old age, eh Wildstar?" Dr Sane grinned.

"Don't even go there, Doc," Derek cautioned.

"I heard that!" Nova shouted. "Dammit, you both think I'm getting too old to fly. I'll show you both. Tell me I'm – OW! Hey, watch it with that thing! Where'd you learn to work a needle, at the pub playing darts?"

Derek managed to stifle a giggle.

"There, all done. My, but aren't we brave?" Nurse Drucker walked out with a smile on her face. Nova's reply was to tell the Nurse exactly where she could next stick the syringe.

"Derek, I'm going to keep her for a little while. I have a hunch, but I'll call you when I know for sure."

"Thanks, Doc. I'll be on the bridge." Derek turned and headed back to the elevator, where he could still hear Nova's protests about the examination.

"Ah, Wildstar, there you are," Sandor said as he returned to the bridge. "How is she?"

"The Doc's running some tests. She's none too happy about it." Derek returned to his station. "Recon status?"

"Ready to launch on your order," Homer reported.

"Tell them to get out there and collect anything they can, but they are not to engage the enemy. We don't want them to know we're here yet."

"They might already know," Dash said. "They may have spotting stations, or their sensors could be better than ours."

"They'll probably smell Nova's vomit," Homer mumbled.

"Right. Send an escort, two fighters with each recon ship. Same order though, no engagements without authorization. If you're spotted, radio back and high-tail it out of there."

"Roger," Homer answered. He relayed the commands to the recon team, and within five minutes the ships were in the air. Derek wished he was out there, but being captain of the ship didn't afford him that luxury. Besides, he didn't want to be away from the ship when Dr Sane figured out what was wrong with Nova. To pass the time, he started scrolling through the reports from last night's shift. Nothing important, really, just some radio traffic between Earth and some of the colonies. The Titan Base took a hammering, but they had some survivors. What few ships they had left after the first battle with the Pri'Tan were still under repair, so they were trying to lie low until they could defend themselves better. There was also some other traffic – it seems word of the _Yamato's_ rebirth had spread. People were starting to panic less, and the rioting on the Venus colony had stopped. _Even if we do nothing at all,_ Derek thought, _we're still a beacon of hope._

"Wildstar!" Homer was shouting. "Our recon ships are under attack! Black Tigers are asking permission to fight back!"

Derek stood. "How badly outnumbered are we?"

"They're being overwhelmed. Last count was 40 snub fighters, 21 of those weird ones that can join together, six carriers, and four capital ships. Reports are still coming in though."

"Okay, get them back to the ship. Maria, get ready to warp out of here."

"Sir, Nova isn't here to run the calculations, and Sandor is still out on recon."

"You can do it."

"But sir –"

"Do it, Santiago. That's an order."

"Yes, sir." She turned to Sandor's console and started running the numbers.

"Dash, Kitano, I'd like to get out of here without a fight if possible, but be ready. Homer, let me know as soon as all hands are back aboard."

"Wildstar, this is Sandor. We're on our way back, and we're bringing friends. We have some data that you're definitely going to want to see."

"Copy that, Sandor. Lose the friends; we don't have enough silverware for that many place settings."

"Roger," Sandor replied. The sounds of explosions could be heard in the background.

"Here they come," Homer reported. As soon as he had said it, the ship started rocking from laser blasts.

"Kitano, keep them off our back until we can get out of here!"

"Aye sir!"

The front cannons fired, taking out one of the carriers, just as one of the rear cannons was hit by one of the tri-ship beams.

"Wildstar, all hands are aboard. Well, almost all." He looked over to Derek with a glazed look. "Two of the Black Tigers and one recon didn't make it back."

"Get me a report later. Santiago, how are you doing on those warp calculations?"

"Almost done, sir," she replied. "Gimme another minute."

"We don't have another minute!" Derek shouted back. He punched a button on his console. "Doctor Sane, is Nova able to return to duty?"

"Wildstar, if we weren't under attack, I'd say no, but… she insists."

Derek thought about this for a second. "Tell her to hang on, we're going to warp. She can report to the bridge later."

"Okay, but –" Derek cut him off.

"Maria!"

"Ready sir!" She sat back down at the nav station and hit the warp activation switches. "Warp in 30 seconds."

"Very good. All hands, ready for warp."

"Put on your sun block, everyone, this is going to take us rather close to the Sirius Triplets." She yanked back on the warp lever, and the ship flashed into warp.

Derek felt the usual sensation of floating around the bridge, but somehow this felt different. The ship felt like it was moving too fast, and the view outside – normally a series of colored streaks – was murky and orange. Something wasn't right. Unfortunately in the middle of a warp, there wasn't much he could do about it. He didn't know where exactly Maria was warping them, but he wondered if it should be taking this long to get there. Then, everything stopped.

Derek found himself on the floor, in front of this station. Had he been thrown there, or was he displaced? He had heard of the possibility of matter shift if you got too close to a large gravitational field during warp, but he had never actually experienced it. Maybe that's what had happened? He picked himself up and looked around. He wasn't the only one having a difficult time of it.

"Now that was really strange. Did that look odd to anyone else?" he said, getting to his feet.

"I hope you're not making fun of my underwear, sir," Maria said, rubbing her temples. "They warned me about that at the academy."

"Okay, the Ensign's undergarments notwithstanding, did anyone see anything strange during that last warp?" Derek climbed back to his seat and started checking systems.

"Where the hell are we?" Kitano was asking.

"I warped us to the other side of the Sirius Triplets," Maria answered.

"That being the case, then they should be behind us," Dash said, sitting at Eager's console. "I don't see any sign of them."

"What? That's impossible!" Maria walked over to check his findings.

"See for yourself," Dash said, flipping some switches. The surrounding stars were projected onto the main viewer above them. A flashing red dot in the center was their position, but nothing around them showed as being familiar to the nav computer.

"The computer doesn't even know where we are? How is that possible?" Homer asked.

"It means no one has been here before," Sandor replied, stepping off the elevator. "This area of space is uncharted."

"So, exactly how far did we go?" Derek asked.

Everyone looked at Maria. She held out her hands and said, "What?"

Sandor walked over to his console and started checking her warp calculations. "Mmm, I think I know what happened. Ensign, did you take into account the dense gravity generated by Sirius B?"

"Uh, no, I didn't." She lowered her head.

"Here's a graphical representation of our course." He punched some keys and the Sirius Triplets appeared on the viewer. "Here's Sirius A, B, and C. We were here." A blue flashing icon appeared. "We initiated warp, but Maria didn't account for the strong gravity of Sirius B. When we entered warp, our course, which was supposed to be here," a flashing white dotted line appeared that led past the three stars, "was instead pulled here." A solid line appeared, taking the ship directly through the three stars. "If you view the stars as forming a triangle, we just flew through the center. Best as I can tell, the gravity well had a slingshot effect."

"So, where are we?" Derek asked.

"It took the computer a while to identify the location. It had to interpolate what the star patterns around us would look like viewed from Earth. We're in Galaxy M33."

"Which is…?" Homer asked.

"Also known as the Triangulum. We're about 3 million light years away from Earth."

Silence.

"Holy sh-" Maria started, then caught herself. She turned to Derek, and said, "I'm so sorry sir! I tried, I really did! I was never very good at warp calculations!"

A voice over the com interrupted. "Engine room to bridge!"

"Go ahead, Orion," Derek replied.

"I don't know what the heck you guys did up there, but the wave motion engine has completely shut down. It's as if it ran out of power or something."

"Is there anything wrong with it?" Sandor asked.

"No, that's just it. It appears undamaged, but it stopped dead when we came out of warp."

Sandor nodded. "Understood. Do what you can to get it back online."

"Yes sir," Orion signed off.

"Dammit, now we're stuck out here!" Maria pounded her fist against the console.

Derek shot her a look. "As you were, Ensign! Breaking the equipment isn't going to help."

"Aye, sir," she said, sitting down at her station.

"Okay, does anyone have any more good news?" Derek asked.

"Wildstar, I've picked up a ship on long range scan," Dash reported.

"Do we have radio, weapons, anything?"

"Weapons appear to be functional," Kitano replied, "but without the engine to recharge the batteries..." He left off the part that everyone already knew.

Homer was turning some dials. "Radio is giving me nothing but static."

"Might be because there's no one out here to talk to," Sandor said.

"Meanwhile, we're sitting ducks out here. Put that ship on main viewer."

The viewer changed from the view of the Sirius Triplets to a view of a large black ship. Derek took a step back. "Oh, no." He ran to his console and brought up ship data from the archives.

"What is that?" Maria asked.

Derek sighed and flopped down in his chair. "It's a Comet Empire dreadnaught."


	6. 6 A Leap of Faith

"A what? That's impossible!" Homer said. "Trelaina destroyed it!"

"We've often wondered if there were more of them out there. Looks like we have our answer." Derek was hearing Paulson in the back of his mind. _Some day, Zordar's people gonna wonder what happened to him, and they gonna come looking. When they get here, I guarantee that they gonna be pissed._ Derek prayed that Paulson was wrong.

"Wildstar, we're being hailed!" Homer was listening to his headphones.

"Hailed? Put it on." Derek was amazed that they weren't already reduced to burning vapors.

Homer hit a switch, and a voice came over the speakers. "Unidentified ship, this is General Razon of the Fourth Gatlantean Battle Fleet. Your ship appears adrift. May we be of any assistance?"

It took a few moments for this to sink in. Homer was opening and closing his mouth, but no words were coming out. Derek was standing and leaning on his console, trying to think of something to say.

"Did he just say what I think he just said?" Dash asked. "He's offering assistance?"

"Seems that way," Sandor said. "Could be a trap, though."

"Or perhaps they don't know who we are," Derek said.

The elevator door opened, and Nova staggered out. She looked like she was about to pass out, when she noticed the image on the display. She pointed and said, "That's…"

"Yes, it is." Derek walked to her, and asked quietly, "Are you okay?"

"I'll tell you later." She gave him a weak smile. She walked to the radar station before Derek could ask any more questions.

"Homer, let's not keep him waiting. Open the channel," Derek said. Homer hit the appropriate switch, and the display changed to show the image of an olive-skinned man with white hair. Definitely the same race as Zordar, but he did not look like the Prince at all.

Derek stepped up to the center of the bridge. "I am Commodore Derek Wildstar, captain of the _Yamato_."

"General Razon, commander of the _Brachtu._ From where do you hail?"

"We are from Earth, the third planet in the Sol System, about 3 million light years away."

"Earth you say?" Razon turned to speak to someone not visible on the viewer, then came back. "Commodore Wildstar, it seems we have a few things to discuss. I invite you to visit me onboard my vessel." When Derek didn't respond right away, Razon added, "You would be our guest, of course."

"Very well, I'll have a shuttle bring me over within 30 minutes."

"I await your arrival. Radio us for landing instructions when you are on final approach. Razon out." The video signal switched back to the external view of the _Brachtu_.

Sandor walked over to Derek. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Did you catch his reaction when I said we were from Earth? He seems aware of it, but not of us. He's either completely unaware of what happened, or he's got the best poker face I ever saw."

Nova turned and looked at Derek. "I want to come along."

"Um, I don't think that's such a good idea. The last thing I need is you puking on the General." She gave him a dirty look, but then realized he was right. Derek turned to Sandor and said, "Santiago, Sandor, you're with me. Engine room?"

"Orion here, sir."

"Status on the Wave Motion Engine?"

"It's slowly recharging itself, but it will be a day or two before we can restart it. We're trying to rig up a tachyon absorber, but I won't know anything more for a few hours."

Derek shook his head. "Okay, keep at it." He and Sandor left the bridge and headed to the hanger.

As the shuttle approached the dreadnaught, Conroy received landing instructions from their hangar. The situation was still setting in - the last time they saw a ship like this, it was shooting at the Earth. Now, they were being invited onboard as guests. Something didn't quite add up, Conroy kept saying, but Derek insisted they go in without an armed guard. Their sidearms would be all they carried – no need to show signs of mistrust, regardless of whether or not they really did trust the Gatlanteans.

Conroy followed the directions given, approaching the docking bay from the port side. The ship had 12 docking bays, according to the docking control people he had spoken with, but only one of them would be open. Against a black ship, it shouldn't be too tough to find, Conroy thought. Then he noticed blips on the radar.

"Whoa, a welcoming committee!" he said, pointing at the blips on the radar.

Sandor looked out the window and spotted the approaching ships. "There they are. Look familiar?"

Derek nodded. Slightly modified from the last time he had run into them, but they were definitely the familiar horseshoe-crab type fighters. They buzzed the shuttle, then turned and headed back to the dreadnaught. "Follow them in," Derek suggested.

"Roger," said Conroy. He nudged the throttle a bit and adjusted his course to follow the fighters into the docking area.

"Sir? Remind me again why I am here?" Maria was understandably nervous.

"You're going to have to get us home, so if they have any navigational data, I want you to hear it first hand," Derek answered.

"Nova should have come then. It's my fault that we're stuck out here."

"Nova's having trouble readjusting to space travel, apparently," Derek said, staring out the window.

_I don't think that's it at all,_ Maria thought_._

The shuttle flew smoothly into the docking bay and landed with a bump. Everyone held their breath as the rear door opened, expecting to be met with an armed guard. Instead, two men poked their heads in and motioned for the group to follow.

"They're unarmed," Conroy whispered. Derek nodded and then left the shuttle.

"Conroy, stay with the shuttle." Conroy nodded as the rest followed Derek out of the ship.

They were led to an elevator, then taken down a moving walkway towards the center of the massive ship. The escorts said nothing the whole time. They went up another elevator, and down one more hallway. The escorts stopped and turned to stand against the wall on either side of a large doorway. The door slid open and the right escort said, "Please, enter."

The group walked in, Derek in the lead. As they did so, the doors slid closed behind them. General Razon was seated behind a desk, but stood upon seeing them. He extended a hand in greeting, saying, "Ah, Commodore… Wildstar, was it? Welcome to the _Brachtu_. I am Razon."

Derek shook Razon's hand. "Thank you. I am Derek Wildstar. This is my Science Officer, Stephen Sandor, and Chief Navigator Maria Santiago."

"Tell me, is this your first visit to this part of space?" Razon asked, as he sat down. Derek sat down, as the others followed suit.

"Yes, it is, although our arrival here is purely by accident. We were near the Sirius Star Cluster and attempted to warp away from an enemy attack. We ended up here."

"Hmm, I see. You are alone then?"

Santiago stiffened. _Oh, no._

Derek seemed unshaken. "Yes. We are alone."

Razon stared at Derek for a moment, then smiled. "Forgive me, Commodore. We were trying to ascertain your motives here. When you said you were from Earth, our first thought was a retaliatory strike."

Derek understood immediately. "You thought we were here to attack Zordar's home world."

"Precisely. However, I think it is safe to assume that you would not send only one ship even as a scouting vessel, and you would have been better prepared for the Delta Tunnel."

"Delta Tunnel?"

"A conduit in space, connecting what you call the Sirius Star System with this galaxy. You could call it a 'wormhole.'"

"Ah, yes, of course," Sandor said, nodding. "That explains how we got here so quickly. The conduit must exit between the Triplets. We got sucked in."

"Yes. Your ship would not be the first, either. We've salvaged many dead ships around the exit on this end." Razon looked at Derek, then said, "You are dying to ask, Commodore. Please, do."

"You mean, why we are still here, not vaporized or tossed into a prison cell? The thought has crossed all our minds."

"The short answer: we have no quarrel with you, as long as you are not going to hold the actions of one man against our entire race." Razon looked a bit uncomfortable.

"So, Zordar was not representing the Gatlanteans in his attempts to take over the Earth?" Derek asked.

"Absolutely not. In fact, we prefer not to even discuss him. However, as his victims you have the right to know, so I will tell you what happened." Razon typed on his keypad, and an image of a much younger Zordar came up on a monitor. "Zordar was indeed Prince and heir to the throne of Gatlantis. When Queen Izadra died, Zordar and his brother Dorzal started fighting over the right of succession." The image changed to a man who looked similar to Zordar. "Dorzal was the oldest, and therefore next in line. We had been under attack by an unknown enemy for a long time, and Zordar claimed that the reason we hadn't beaten them was due to bad leadership. He said his mother was weak, and the way to win the war was to take over other worlds to build our armies. He claimed that he would be the better ruler, and tried to take the throne by force. Or so we thought."

Razon pushed a couple keys on his keypad. "Zordar was really after our latest war machine, the Battle Comet." Razon typed a few commands and a familiar image came up on the viewer. "We hoped that with it, we would be able to take the fight back to the enemy's home world." Razon looked at Derek and Sandor. "Judging by your expressions, you have seen this before."

Sandor answered, "The Comet Empire Fortress. Zordar tried to take over the Earth with it."

"Yes, I know." Razon was staring at the desk as he continued his tale. "Zordar had everyone thinking he was getting ready to attack the palace, so a large part of our army was sent there to defend Dorzal. Instead, Zordar, with the help of his aide Dyre and several others who were loyal to him, took control of the Battle Comet. Once he was in command of the most powerful weapon we have ever created, he gave people a choice – join him or be wiped out. He easily convinced more than half of our fleet to join him. They called themselves 'The Comet Empire' and left our galactic system in an effort to expand the Gatlantean Empire. We assume his aim was to become more powerful than Dorzal so he could one day return and claim to be the stronger leader. He passed through many systems, gathering slaves and adding to his fleet. According to our reports, he was unstoppable by the time he reached your system."

"He almost was," Derek began. "He wiped out our defense fleet then brought the… er, Battle Comet to Earth. He destroyed our moon as a show of power, but we managed to board the Comet and take out its main power generator. One of these huge battle cruisers," Derek waved his hand around him, "came out of the wreckage and started shooting at Earth. That's when Trelaina appeared and destroyed his ship."

Razon looked up. "Trelaina, you said? That explains quite a bit. We had long wondered what happened to Zordar." Razon looked like the answer to life's ultimate question had finally been answered. "We followed Zordar's progress as far as we could. The Battle Comet had onboard sensors that let us track his position. Either Zordar didn't know about them or couldn't figure out how to disable them. Or, perhaps, he left them there on purpose so he could show off his exploits. At any rate, when the sensors stopped transmitting we assumed that you had managed to defeat him, although all our information on your planet showed that you hadn't the technology to do so."

"We got lucky. Trelaina came to our aid more than once."

Razon was nodding. "We had no idea she was so powerful."

"So you know of her," Derek asked.

"Yes. Telezart was one our strongest allies. Technologically, they were almost our equals. They assisted us with the development of the Battle Comet. Several years after Zordar left Gatlantis, we received reports that Telezart was being attacked by the Battle Comet. We sent reinforcements, but we were too late. Zordar was demanding all the information they had on the Comet, and destroyed them city by city when they refused. We're not sure what drove him away, but when we arrived we found no one alive save for one young girl who refused our aid. According to records, her name was Teresa, but she insisted that we call her Trelaina. In her language, that means 'bright star.' She refused to tell us what happened to her parents and older sister. We assume they died along with everyone else. We're not sure exactly how everyone was killed, but it's likely that Zordar simply wiped them all out as he did with any other world that refused his rule."

Derek looked down. "Trelaina said she was the last of her people, but she never told me what happened to them. She only confided in one of our crew, but he's gone."

Razon punched up an image of a young blonde girl, standing in a cave. She was wrapped in a blanket, but it was obvious by the glow that this was Trelaina, possibly in her teens. "When we examined her, we found her to be a telepath with the ability to harness the power of anti-matter. We knew of no such abilities in any of the other people of Telezart, and she would not speak to us about it. All she would tell us was that she could not control her abilities, and therefore had to stay on Telezart – it was for our own good, she said. We did not want to leave her there, but we were afraid of what she might do if we tried to force her to come with us." He lowered his head. "I was in charge of that mission. It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do, leaving a child behind on a desolate world. Now, thanks to your report, I am glad I respected her wishes. If we had forced her to come back to Gatlantis, she'd probably be a test subject in a lab someplace, and Gatlantis and Earth would be under Zordar's rule."

"Wildstar, we should probably check in with the _Yamato_," Sandor whispered.

"Yes. Ensign, if you would?"

"Yes sir," Maria answered. She took out her communicator, then looked at Razon. "With your permission, General?"

He nodded. "Of course."

Maria flipped the communicator on and radioed the _Yamato_. "Santiago to _Yamato_, come in."

Homer answered. "Ensign, is everything all right over there?"

"Yes, we're fine. The Gatlanteans are treating us as guests, just as they promised. How are things going over there?"

"Orion's still working on the engine, but it isn't looking too good. We're going to need a repair station to bring it back online."

"That may be a problem," Derek started, "unless our hosts know anything at all about Wave Motion technology."

"Even if they did, our engine is so far from the original design that I doubt they would be able to offer much assistance," Sandor said.

Razon confirmed Sandor's fears. "Sorry, I'm afraid I have never heard that term before."

"Never ran into the planet Iscandar then either? Sanzar System?" Maria asked.

"No, can't say that I have," Razon answered, typing the name into his computer. A buzz coming back meant there was no record of it. Razon shook his head.

"We'll get back to you, Homer," Maria said, turning off the communicator.

"Perhaps we can assist you in another way," Razon offered. "Our Battlecruisers have rather large confinement areas. We could take your ship inside ours and take you through the Delta Tunnel, then drop you off near one of your outposts."

"I appreciate that, but I'm not sure if any of our outer rim outposts are still functional, and there's no way we could get a radio signal to anyone on Earth from here to find out. We were in the Sirius System gathering intelligence on a new enemy. They've been attacking our colonies, and our repair stations are probably out of commission. I'm not sure bringing one of your ships near Earth is such a good idea right now."

"Of course, I understand your hesitation. We would have to get permission from Gatlantis anyway, so you have time to think it over."

"Very well, I will consider your offer. For now, I need to return to my ship and oversee repairs." Derek stood and extended his hand.

Razon stood and shook Derek's hand. "I will contact my superiors and make the request on your behalf. If you decline our offer, then we'll be on our way. I will stay here for now in case you need any help."

"Good of you, thanks." Derek turned and led his team out the door. The escorts turned and stepped in front of Derek. "Um, we'd like to return to our ship, please."

"Follow me, please," the left escort said. He led them back down to the docking bay. They reached their shuttle, and were met by Conroy.

"How was your meeting? All the amenities?" Conroy said as they boarded.

"Oh, yeah, they even offered to help us get home." Maria said.

"No kidding?" he said.

Maria buckled her belt. "Nope. The guy was way too nice. Creeped me out."

"Anything to report, Conroy?" Derek asked as he sat down.

"Nothing at all, Wildstar. No one even got close." He sat down at the pilot's seat and made preparations for takeoff.

"I'm sure they scanned us," Sandor remarked.

"So let them. We have nothing to hide," Derek said. The rear door closed and the shuttle lifted off. The outer door of the Battlecruiser opened to let them through.

"Now we see how sincere Razon is," Maria said.

"Cross your fingers," Derek said. "Let's go, Conroy."

"Roger," he said, pushing forward on the throttle. The shuttle left the bay, and everyone looked at the radar to see if anyone was following, but they were the only ones leaving. There were several sighs of relief.

"Homer, this is Conroy. We're on our way back."

"No trouble leaving?" Homer asked.

"Nope, they let us go and offered to help us get home."

"You've gotta be kidding me."

"Nope. I hardly believe it myself. We'll be back onboard in a few minutes."

"Cleared to land, Conroy."

The shuttle entered the bay on the bottom of the _Yamato_, then landed as the door closed behind them. Derek had ordered all non-essential systems shut down to conserve power, so the docking bay was lit only by the spotlights on the front of the shuttle. They left the shuttle using hand lights.

Derek looked over his team. "Conroy, take a break. Nothing much for you to do for now. Maria, report back to the bridge. Sandor, I want to meet with you in my quarters in ten minutes."

**Commodore Derek Wildstar's Quarters, 1135 Hours**

"Come in!" Derek called out. The door opened, and Sandor stepped through it.

"Wildstar, I was hoping you would have time to go over my report from Sirius. You need to see this."

"Might as well, we have plenty of time, it seems. First, though, I wanted your opinion. Do you think Razon can be trusted?"

"I see two possibilities. Razon's telling the truth, and they really do want to help us. Or, he's waiting for us to drop our guard so he can attack."

"It wouldn't be much of an attack. They clearly outgun us, and they know we have no engines. We don't have the reserves for a prolonged battle."

"Which is why I am leaning towards trusting them. They could have destroyed us as soon as we appeared. Why toy with us? There's no advantage to it."

"Exactly. Still, it's a pretty big leap of faith. What's to stop them from taking us to some slave world and destroying the _Yamato_?" Derek looked at the folder Sandor brought with him. "Okay, let's have a look."

Sandor opened the folder to reveal several printouts with diagrams and coordinates. "Check out this one first." He flipped through the pile and grabbed one, sliding it across the table.

Derek took it and examined the picture. On it was a large fleet, parked around a planet. In the distance could be seen several platforms, and behind them was a large – what, exactly? "What am I looking at here?"

"It's a construction yard, from what we can tell. We couldn't get close enough to see what they were building without risking being spotted. It's partially hidden behind the planet. All we know is, it's big and we couldn't scan inside it."

"Probably contains more ships," Derek shrugged.

"They already have enough ships to take us out four times over. What exactly are they arming for?" Sandor flipped through some more sheets and handed Derek another one.

Derek studied it, then shook his head. "We haven't seen these ships before," he said. "Once again we'll be taken by surprise."

"They don't want to take the chance that we adapt to their technology or tactics."

Derek sighed. "Wonderful. So even if we do get back to Earth, they have enough firepower to completely overwhelm us."

"That's what it looks like so far. Desslok has promised his help, for what that is worth. Maybe we can get him to take _Excelsior_ out of mothballs," Sandor laughed. "It certainly made short work of the Bolars."

"Remind me to ask him if we ever see him again."

"Bridge to Commodore Wildstar!" Homer's voice broke in.

Derek pushed the com button. "Go ahead, Homer."

"We're being hailed by General Razon."

"I'll take it up here." Derek walked over to the video panel and hit the button to enable it. Razon's face appeared, and it looked worried. "General, what can I do for you?"

"Commodore, I said we would stay here until you made your decision, but I am afraid we are needed elsewhere. One of our shipyards is under attack, and the _Brachtu_ is the closest ship. We will return as soon as we can." Before Derek could reply, the screen went out. He turned towards the domed window to see the _Brachtu_ pulling away, then disappearing with a flash.

He stood watching the stars for a few minutes, then turned and said, "I'm going to Sick Bay. Contact me when they come back."

**Sick Bay – 1245 hours**

"Nova?"

She opened her eyes to see Derek standing over her. "Oh, hi," she said with a yawn. "I was just taking a quick nap. I guess I haven't been sleeping well."

"Nova, it's okay. You don't have to explain yourself."

"If any other crew member was sleeping on the job –" she began.

"You're not any other crew member," he said with a grin.

"Don't let any of the other crew members hear you say that," she whispered.

Dr. Sane poked his head in. "Ah, good, Wildstar, I thought I heard your voice." He came in and jumped up on a stool. "Please, sit down."

Derek looked at Dr. Sane quizzically. "Why, Doc, what's going on? What's the matter with her?"

"Oh, nothing that won't cure itself in about eight months," he said with a huge grin.

"What?" Derek said. They looked at each other.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Wildstar," Dr. Sane said. "You're going to be parents."

"Say what?" Derek blinked his eyes a few times. He looked down at Nova, who was crying. "Nova?"

"Ever since we got married, I had hoped we would have a child. In the middle of a war, onboard a battleship, 3 million light years from home, well that's not exactly what I had in mind."

Derek grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "We'll get home." He leaned down and kissed her, then said, "our child will be born on Earth." He stood and turned to leave.

"Derek, where are you going?" she asked.

"To take a leap of faith."

**Bridge – 1335 hours**

"Homer, contact the _Brachtu_." Derek said as he got off the elevator.

"Aye, sir," Homer answered. The video screen flickered, and a man appeared.

"This is Nardiv, how can I help you?" the man asked. The video feed was distorted, and explosions could be heard in the background.

"Would you please tell General Razon that Commodore Wildstar has decided to accept his proposal?" He knew everyone on the bridge was staring at him, but he didn't let it bother him.

"Please wait one moment," Nardiv said, and the screen went blank.

Maria walked over to Derek and whispered, "Commodore, permission to speak?"

"Make it fast."

"I know you're in charge, and the decision is ultimately yours, but are you sure they can be trusted?"

Derek's eyes never left the monitor. "Do we have a choice? If we sit here waiting, the Pri'Tan take over Earth and we're stuck here. Our batteries aren't going to last more than a few days without the main engine. If we trust the Gatlanteans, and they turn on us, we're just as dead. I'm taking the path that has the most likely chance of getting us home."

"Just checking," Maria said. "I was hoping you weren't making a decision just because of Nova."

This made him look at her. "What do you mean?"

Maria lowered her voice even further. "She's pregnant, isn't she?"

Derek stared at the Ensign, then looked back at the blank video panel. "And you know this, how?"

"Just a hunch. Feminine intuition, I guess. I wasn't sure until your reaction just now." She smiled weakly.

Derek chuckled, then said, "Can't hide anything from you, eh Maria? Have you told anyone?"

"I haven't said a word, sir."

He nodded. "I'd rather it stayed quiet for now, please. I need people focused on their jobs."

"Aye, sir." She turned, then stopped, turned back, and whispered, "Congratulations." She went back to her seat. Kitano looked over at her, but she looked out the window.

The panel came back on, showing Nardiv's face. "The General is too busy to speak with you. He will contact you shortly." Then the screen went blank.

"Okay, then," Derek said. "Nothing to do but wait. Again." He went to his seat and rode it up to his quarters.

**Captain's Quarters, 1945 hours**

Derek was watching the stars, waiting for the _Brachtu_ to return. He had already filed his report about their errant warp from that morning, had dinner with Nova (even though she couldn't eat much) and spent an hour working out.

_Parents._ The voice kept echoing in his head. _We're going to be parents._ The absolute last thing he had expected to hear. Enemy fighters swarming the ship, or missiles approaching, he could react to those. He had an answer to those situations. Being a father, now that was something different. Raising a child from the deck of a battleship? Maybe he should retire? Take a year off? Two years? Would Nova be able to finish her medical classes? Would the kid want to join the EDF? Would anyone be left alive to care?

"Commodore Wildstar, the _Brachtu_ has returned." He opened his eyes and saw the massive dreadnaught approaching from starboard.

"On my way," he said, hitting the button to lower his chair to the bridge. As the chair slid into position, he told Homer, "Put it on the main viewer."

The Battlecruiser appeared on the video screen. Some of the cannons were missing, and there were holes in the plating. The image was replaced with General Razon's face, which looked tired. "Commodore Wildstar, I've received word from Gatlantis. We have permission to take you back to your galaxy. My communications officer tells me you have agreed to this."

"Yes, General, I have. We have no other way home, and gratefully accept your offer of assistance."

"Very good. We'll begin making preparations immediately. You need do nothing; we'll move above you and pull your ship inside with our docking clamps. Once your ship is secured, you are welcome to come aboard the _Brachtu_ until we reach your system. Razon out." The image disappeared.

Derek looked around the bridge. "You all have the right to speak against this course of action, without fear of reprisal."

Dash stood up. "Just get us the hell home so we can kick some Pri'Tan ass."

Homer and Kitano both shouted, "Yes!"

Derek barely heard the elevator open. "Commodore Wildstar, sir?" He turned and saw Eager standing behind him.

"Eager! Good to see you up and about. How are you feeling?"

"Just fine, sir. I was just wonderin' if ya needed anyone at tactical." He looked over at Dash, who was sitting at Eager's station.

"Dash? Any problems with that?" Derek looked over at him and smiled.

"None at all!" Dash got up and said, "Sit down, Eager. Welcome back." Dash walked across the bridge to resume his normal station.

Eager walked over and sat down. "Ahhh, this feels good. Whoa, what is that?" He pointed at the image of the _Brachtu_ moving in.

"We'll need to fill you in I guess," Sandor answered. "They're here to help us."

"Oh, good. I heard we're stuck on the other side of the galaxy or somethin'."

"Something like that, yes," Sandor said. They were all looking out the front window as the massive dreadnaught moved into position.

The dreadnaught stopped moving, and a large door on the bottom opened up. A large clamp came down on each side of the _Yamato_ and slowly lined up, then moved in. The ship shook as the clamp made contact.

"Here we go," Kitano said.

Maria nodded. "No turning back now."

The ship started moving up into the bowels of the Battlecruiser. Derek watched as the stars around them all disappeared. "Exterior lights, please," he said. Sandor hit the switch, turning on several spotbeams on the outside of the ship. The room was too large to light adequately with the spotbeams, but they could tell that the bay was large enough to hold several ships.

A loud thump was heard as the massive bay doors closed beneath them. Lights went on all over the bay as more clamps moved in and attached to the side of the ship. A platform extended towards the ship, stopping just short. Now they could see how large the bay really was, along with the rows of clamps mounted on the ceiling. Some of the clamps were fitted with drills.

"Extend the gangplank," Derek ordered. The stairs unfolded from the side of the ship, and the platform rose to line up with it. "Maria, Sandor, IQ-9, come with me please. We're going to have a look around. No one else is to leave the ship."

They were met by General Razon and four others at the end of the gangplank. They shook hands again, and walked from the confinement bay. As they left, Derek turned to look back at the _Yamato_. Compared to the huge holding area, the ship looked so small and insignificant. The ship that had valiantly fought against The Comet Empire was now at the mercy of the Gatlanteans. He sighed and walked through the door.

"I guess it's safe to assume you fought off the enemy that was attacking your shipyard," Maria said.

Razon lowered his head and said, "Barely. They destroyed most of the facility and twelve ships still under construction. They weren't complete enough to defend themselves. That seems to be their tactic – they are trying to destroy all our shipyards so we can neither build nor repair."

"Hard to believe, if you don't mind my saying so," Derek said. "Our world was almost destroyed by one of these ships. You have a fleet of them and are having trouble with an enemy."

"Even our updated fighters can't keep up with them. This enemy is so technologically advanced; I am surprised they haven't finished us off yet."

"Who are they?" Derek asked. They had arrived in a monitoring room full of large panels. One of the panels showed the _Yamato_, others showed sections of space, various planets, and other ships.

"We don't know. They attacked without warning about 40 years ago. At first we were able to keep them away from our own system, but over the past 30 years they have become more aggressive and started advancing towards the home world. That was why we created the Battle Comet, along with several new battleships. If Zordar hadn't stolen the Battle Comet, we might possibly have won the war. The only reprieve we've had is over the last 5 years, their attacks have dropped dramatically. I imagine it's only a matter of time before they come back in force."

"No chance of building another Comet?" Sandor asked. Derek gave him an odd look but said nothing. _Scientists can be so practical sometimes, it's annoying._

"No. They have been taking out our construction yards to prevent it. Most of our fleet left with Zordar, and we just haven't been able to recover."

"As ruthless as Zordar was against Earth, you talk about him like he was a coward," Maria said.

"There were some who say he was a coward, running away from the battle. Others say he had the right idea, going off looking for reinforcements. Unfortunately, he went about it all wrong. I am sure there are many worlds that would have helped us. Instead, he chose to attack them and take what he wanted without negotiation. As we expected, he ran into someone who was more powerful. Someone who he least expected, I'd guess."

There was a slight vibration as the ship began moving. Derek looked around, then said, "We're moving towards the Delta Tunnel?"

"Yes," Razon replied. "The entire trip will take about 5 minutes."

"Wow, it took us 30 minutes under warp," Maria said.

"Our engines are a lot larger, and our reactor won't run out of power part of the way through the trip. We've seen ships get stuck inside the tunnel because their engines simply tore themselves apart due to gravitational stress."

"_Yamato_ has been through a lot. Somehow, she always manages to get us home," Derek said, remembering the way the ship mysteriously returned to Earth after the Dinguil irradiated the ship. The official report was that someone had activated the automated systems before succumbing to the radiation poisoning, but according to IQ-9 the automated systems activated themselves.

"This is the ship that defeated the Battle Comet?" Razon leaned over to look at the display of the _Yamato_.

Derek looked at the ship as well. "_Yamato_ is more than just a ship to us. It has life. It has spirit. Otherwise, we would have just all transferred to a different vessel. Instead, we rebuilt her, redesigned and upgraded her, and now resurrected her from the dead."

"Dead? Your ship was destroyed and you rebuilt it?"

"Yes. The _Yamato's_ last captain, Avatar, destroyed the ship to divert the water planet Aquarius away from Earth."

Razon's eyes went wide. "I know of this planet! It wanders the universe, flooding anything it approaches."

"The Dinguil Empire tried to use it to flood the Earth."

"Ah, Emperor Lugarl. Yes, I had heard his planet was flooded, but I hadn't heard anything more. I'm afraid our own problems have prevented us from keeping track of other planets." General Razon leaned back. "It sounds like the Earth has been kept busy."

Derek sighed. "We thought we were okay for a while there. Then the Pri'Tan attacked, claiming revenge for our accidental destruction of their world during our battle with the Black Nebula Empire. They're wiping out our fleet, and for all we know have already taken over the Earth in our absence."

Razon stood. "Would you like to accompany me to the bridge? We'll be able to check what's going on in your system as soon as we exit the –"

The ship suddenly lurched to port, knocking everyone to the floor. A loud crunching of metal was heard from far ahead of them, then they were thrown against the wall. The lights went out, and alarms started blaring. A light went on; it took a few seconds for Derek to realize that it was coming from IQ-9's head.

"What happened?" Sandor shouted over the noise.

"Owww…" Maria mumbled.

"IQ-9, what's going on?" Derek asked, picking himself up from the floor.

"I cannot scan beyond the hull of this ship, Commodore Wildstar." IQ-9 said. "It felt like we ran into something."

"Where's Razon?" Derek asked. IQ-9 scanned the room with his spotlight and found General Razon's body crumpled in a corner. Sandor crawled over to him and checked for a pulse. He looked back at Derek.

"Either he's dead or he has no carotid artery. IQ, are you picking up any life signs?"

"I have a limited knowledge of Gatlantean physiology, based on data collected from –"

"Yes or no, tinwit?"

"I am picking up no life signs. Massive internal injuries."

Derek shook his head. "Wonderful. Maria, contact the _Yamato_, find out if they know anything."

"Yes sir," she replied. "Homer, come in, Homer. Everyone still there?" Nothing, then static and Eager's voice.

"Homer's hurt, go ahead Ensign."

Derek grabbed the communicator. "Eager, what's the status over there?"

"Wildstar, no one is seriously injured, but one of the dockin' clamps has come loose. We're not having any luck raisin' anyone on the _Brachtu_."

"Their General's dead. We're coming back to the ship."

"Better make it fast, sir, the dreadnaught's hull's startin' to buckle."

"Understood. Wildstar out." He gave the communicator back to Maria and stood up. "Come on, you heard him. There's nothing useful we can do here."

IQ-9 turned and forced the door open. They ran down the hallway and back to the holding area. Before they got to the last door, the robot held up his hand. "One moment," IQ-9 said, then placed a hand on the door. "Okay, it's safe." He forced the door open.

Maria asked, "How could you tell just by touching the door?"

"The door was showing no signs of stress from depressurization, and was still warm. An interior door probably would not be insulated against the extreme cold of outer space."

"Smart!" she replied.

"A simple matter for a genius robot," IQ-9 said.

They reached the stairway for the _Yamato_ and ran up quickly. When everyone was inside, Sandor smacked the control to close the door. He turned to IQ-9 and said, "Report to sick bay, IQ. Dr. Sane can use the help."

"Aye-aye, sir!" He rolled off towards the rear elevator as the others ran to the bridge. Alarms were blaring and people were running to their stations, but they got out of the way when they saw the Commodore approaching. Occasionally the ship would shake violently to one side, causing people to fall over, but they were quick to recover and continue to their stations.

The elevator door slid open and the three ran to their consoles. "Report!" Derek called out. "And kill that alarm!" Sandor turned off the alarm as Dash started giving his report.

"Engine is still offline. Minor damage to the hydroponics garden and mess hall. Weapons are online, but we still have minimal power. Radar is partially functional; we're scanning a number of ships outside strafing the _Brachtu_ but we can't ID them yet."

"Looks like their enemy caught up with them," Sandor said, looking out the window. "Too bad we can't see what's going on out there."

Homer turned and said, "I've been trying to contact the bridge of the _Brachtu_, but so far no one's answering."

"Keep trying. We need to get those clamps off the ship."

Maria came over to Derek. "Why?"

"What?" Derek asked.

"Why bother releasing the ship? What are we going to do out there? We'd be destroyed instantly."

"Do you have a better idea, Ensign?" Sandor asked.

"Yes. We stay here. The hull is protecting us, and I doubt they even know we're in here. We can worry about getting out of here once they've left."

"You're assuming that they're not going to just obliterate the _Brachtu_." Dash said.

She looked at Dash, then looked to Derek and said, "Commodore, you said it yourself. Either way, we're just as dead. Why not just wait it out? Why make ourselves a target when we're defenseless?"

There were sounds of explosions from inside the _Brachtu_. Derek stood and stared at the front window, even though he still couldn't see what was happening. Then he said, "Eager, do we have any data at all on the attackers?"

"No sir, nothing yet. We know they are out there, but we can't do a thorough scan through the hull of the Gatlantean ship."

"Probably by design," Kitano said. "I might be able to create a small hole to scan through. The enemy might think it's just an internal explosion."

"Worth a try," Derek said, nodding. "Do it. One shot only, though. If we don't punch through the first time, don't expend any additional energy."

"Right," Kitano said, sitting down and adjusting the controls for the main guns. The forward turrets swung around to aim at the side, then fired. A large crack appeared in the side.

"Excellent. Eager, get me as much as you can."

"Yessir!" he said.

"Not that this matters much, but I found a chink in the _Brachtu's_ armor," Sandor said. Derek looked over to him. "Just in case we were to ever get captured by one of these things."

"Tuck that away for future reference, Sandor," Derek said. "Eager, anything yet?"

"Sir, they match the ships that attacked the Pluto Observatory."

"Pri'Tan!" Nova shouted. "Out here?"

"We don't even know where 'here' is," Derek said. "But it does worry me – if they're doing as much damage as it sounds…" He trailed off, as everyone already knew the answer. "Do we have any idea where we are?"

"None," Sandor answered. "Best I can tell, we were partway through the Delta Tunnel, and got knocked out of it somehow. Until I can get a better picture of the stars outside, I won't be able to tell you where we are."

"Okay, then. We stay here for now. The Pri'Tan don't know we're here, and with our engines dead, they won't pick up any energy output. We wait it out as long as we can. Engine room?"

"Lewis here. Go ahead, sir."

"Do we at least have maneuvering jets?"

"Yeah, we could push ourselves out of this can, but that's about it."

"Okay, I'll let you know if we need them. Wildstar out." He looked over at Maria. "Good to know, but still not terribly useful. Be ready just in case."

"Aye sir," Maria said.

The ship was still shaking from explosions outside the larger ship's hull, then another sound was heard. A rumbling sound was heard from ahead of them, then another sound that no one could identify at first. Then Derek snapped his fingers.

"The siege cannon!"

"The what?" Kitano asked.

"These dreadnaughts have huge cannons that drop out from the bottom. That cannon is housed directly in front of this docking bay. I'm betting that sound we just heard was the gun lowering, and now they're firing it at something. That means someone's still alive up in the bridge."

Homer turned to his console. "I'll try to raise them again, Wildstar."

"Good man, Homer."

The cannon fired again, then there was a loud tearing sound. There was silence, then another tearing sound, then nothing. Everyone stopped and listened.

"Wildstar…" Maria began.

"Yes," Derek replied. "The gun's stopped."

It was several minutes before anyone was able to speak. Homer broke the silence with a report that there was still no response from the _Brachtu's_ bridge. After another 10 minutes of silence, Derek stood.

"Okay, it sounds like they've left. Sandor, send a team into the docking bay and see about getting those clamps off. Engine room!"

"Lewis here, sir."

"What's the status on the Wave Motion Engine?"

"We need to find an energy source to recharge it. Otherwise, the engine is fine."

Derek looked down at Sandor. "Sandor, what do you think? Can we tap into the _Brachtu's_ engines?"

"Hmm," Sandor thought for a moment. "It would be just like our first launch back in '99, when we used a power grid to charge the engine. I suppose we could do it, but it would help if we had some of their engineers to work up some kind of interface. Somehow I doubt their power couplings will easily interface with ours."

"Count on there not being any engineers left to help us," Derek said. "Do what you can."

"Right," Sandor said. "I'll gather a team and let you know what we find."

"Conroy!" Derek said into an intercom.

"Yes sir!"

"You should be able to get an Astro-fighter through the hole we made in the hull. Go out and take a look around. We're fairly sure that the enemy is gone, but we need to know what kind of shape the _Brachtu_ is in. We'll check the inside to see if anything is still working."

"Roger!"

"Okay then. I'm going to have a look around the ship. I'll take IQ-9 with me, unless you need him, Sandor."

"Go ahead. I'll let you know if I need him for anything." Sandor and Derek left the bridge.

**Brachtu's Computer Core, 2150 hours**

"What do you think, IQ-9? Can you interface with it?"

"I can interface with anything. No problem for a genius robot." He extended his hand and plugged his fingertips into various ports on the console. He worked for a few seconds, then announced, "I'm in. Hmm, strange language this computer uses. It's based on a trinary system, using 0's, 1's, and 2's for its data storage. Furthermore, the memory storage matrix is –"

"Can you get anything useful from it?" Derek interrupted.

"I'll download as much as I can, but many of the pathways were damaged in the attack. I'd have to find another terminal to get any missing information."

"Whatever you are able to collect will be fine." Derek looked around nervously. In the half hour it took to get here, they hadn't encountered any live crew-members. "Is there a way to release the clamps holding the ship?"

"Bridge control is not responding. It might be possible from another control station closer to the docking bay. Also, all weapon systems are down, engines are offline, and we are drifting towards a small planet."

Derek turned towards the console. "What? How long until we hit?"

"Based on current speed, and accounting for the planet's gravity, we will collide with the planet in two hours, ten minutes, and 25 seconds."

"Oh, great." Derek grabbed his communicator. "Sandor, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear Wildstar."

"IQ-9 reports that the ship is going to crash into a planet in just over two hours. Engines and bridge controls are offline."

"Understood. We're working on connecting a conduit to the _Yamato's_ engine. Lewis thinks we can jump-start it with enough energy."

"What's your estimate?"

"Give me about fifteen minutes and I'll have a better idea."

"Okay. Wildstar out." He closed the communicator and stuck it back on his belt. "IQ, how's it coming?"

"I think I have everything, Commodore Wildstar." IQ-9 retracted his fingers and backed away from the terminal. "I have collected all information about the surrounding space, as well as military data and ship schematics."

"Good. Get that ship data to Sandor, maybe it will help him out." They made their way out of the core and headed back to the _Yamato_.

"Commodore Wildstar, did you know that Nova is with child?" IQ-9 asked.

"You know about that?" Derek told himself he shouldn't be surprised, IQ-9 probably got it from the medical computer.

"I scanned you and Nova when you boarded the shuttle on Earth."

"Have you told anyone?"

"No one has asked," IQ-9 replied, matter-of-factly.

"Good. Please keep this to yourself. The crew has enough to worry about right now."

"Yes sir."

"I also think it would be a bad idea to make any passes at her right now. She's not quite herself, and she probably wouldn't appreciate your advances. Well, actually she never appreciates them, but, I think she would be more upset than usual."

"I understand. I still love Nova, but I also respect her. I will, as you humans say, behave myself."

Derek just shook his head. _How do you respond to that?_ he thought.

IQ-9 said nothing more until he suddenly stopped and pointed to a door on the left. "The docking controls are in here." He turned and forced the door open to reveal a long room with several control panels and windows looking out to the docking area. They could see the _Yamato_ from here, pitched to one side because of the clamp that came loose during the attack.

"Do they still work?" Derek asked.

IQ-9 pushed a few buttons and the console came to life. "It appears to be functional."

"Great, so when the time comes, we can release the clamps." Derek turned back out the door. "Get that data to Sandor, I'll be on the bridge."

"Yes, sir." IQ-9 stepped off the platform crossing the docking area and used booster jets to float over to the workers near the engine. Derek bounced across the platform and went inside the _Yamato._

_**Yamato**_** Bridge, 2245 hours**

"Conroy to _Yamato_, come in!"

"Go ahead, Conroy," Homer responded.

"It looks like the enemy has cleared out, but they didn't leave much. I'm transmitting video now."

"Put it on main video, Homer," Derek said as he stepped up to his command station. The video screen came to life, showing a view of the outside of the _Brachtu_. The gun turrets were all destroyed, the siege cannon was sheared completely off and floating underneath the ship, and the bridge was smoldering.

"Oh my God," Nova whispered. "If they can do that kind of damage to something as large as a dreadnaught…"

"Exactly." Derek said. "We've got to get back to Earth and report this to Defense Command."

"Sandor to bridge!"

"Go ahead," Derek answered, looking up at the speaker.

"I think we're ready to give this a try."

"Is there any danger to the crew?" Derek asked.

"No. We've taken lots of precautions on this. If there's any sign of trouble, we'll pull the plug."

"Okay, Sandor, start the recharge."

"Right. I'll let you know how it goes."

For 5 minutes, nothing at all could be heard. There was no sign on any of the instruments that anything was happening. Then suddenly Orion called out over the intercom.

"Bridge, this is Orion! Wave Motion Engine power is at 10% and rising! It looks like it's working!" Cheers from the engine room could be heard in the background, which were followed by cheers from the bridge.

"Good work, Orion. Keep me apprised. When will you be able to start the engine?"

"I'd say we should be able to start the flywheel at 80% power. It should charge itself from there."

"Okay, thank you." He turned to Maria. "Start going over your checklist. I want to be able to get out of here as soon as we have power."

"Yes, sir!" she smiled. "Any ideas how we're going to get those doors open?" She pointed downwards.

"IQ-9 found the controls to the capture clamps. I am hoping the door controls are there as well, and that there's sufficient power to operate them. If not, perhaps Sandor can find a way to open them manually." He then said to himself, _we're going home, Nova._

It was another 30 minutes before Orion came back with another report. "Wave Motion Engine is at 85%. I'm going to take it to 90% just to be sure. Navigation, can you be ready to do a cold start in about 10 minutes?"

Maria ran her hand over the throttle lever. "Ready up here, Orion. Just say the word."

"Roger that. Orion out."

Maria start flipping switches and checking readouts. So far, everything was checking out as normal, she just hoped it stayed that way.

From underneath the ship, a loud grinding could be heard, then it stopped. Then it started again. Then it stopped.

"IQ-9 to Commodore Wildstar."

"Go ahead IQ."

"The lower bay doors appear to be stuck. There may not be enough power to open them, or the hull is buckled."

"Great." Derek looked out the front window. A tiny amount of light was coming in through the lower doors, but there was no way they were going out that way.

"Maria, do we have enough room in here to move around a bit?"

"Some. Where did you have in mind?"

"Can you aim us at that hole that Kitano made?"

She looked out, then nodded. "Sure, but we're not gonna fit – ohh, okay. We make it bigger!"

"Exactly. Assuming we can hold power, we hit it with the Wave Motion Gun."

As if on cue, Orion announced, "Bridge, we're ready to go down here. It's all yours."

"Awesome," Maria said, sliding her seat forward. "Connecting auxiliary circuits now." She pushed a couple buttons and heard a satisfying alternating two-tone hum coming from the back of the ship.

"Sandor, come in," Derek said into the mic.

"We're all back on board, and we're disconnected from the _Brachtu's_ engine feed. IQ-9 is ready to disconnect the clamps."

"Okay, tell him to do it and get back here."

"Right."

The alternating hum got louder and faster, and the dim lights all over the bridge got brighter. "This looks promising," Kitano said.

"You ain't seen nothing yet," Maria said, pulling a lever. "Power is sufficient for flywheel start!"

Derek nodded. "Start flywheel."

Maria pushed forward on the control lever, and said a quick prayer to herself. Within a few seconds indicators lit up. "Yeah!" she shouted. The flywheel could be heard coming to life. "Rotation is at 300 RPM and increasing. 400. 650. 750. 900. 1200. 1500. 1800. 2400." She hit a few switches, then said "Enabling automatic charging systems. Engine power is now at 100%. Flywheel is at 2800. 3400. 3800. 4200. 4600, and… 5000!"

"Yes!" Kitano and Homer shouted.

"Engine power?" Derek asked.

"115%."

"Take it to 120%. I want to make sure we don't kill it again when we fire the Wave Gun." Derek sat down just as the ship was jarred sideways. He looked out the window and saw the left clamps withdrawing. The right ones seemed jammed, but they could still get free.

"Kitano, get those clamps off my ship."

"Yes sir!" He grabbed a mic and said, "Turret number 3, 55 degrees to starboard. Horizonal angle plus 4. Fire when ready." The front turret closest to the bridge swung around to the right and raised its barrels. There was a pause, then they fired. The joint of the clamp exploded, and the claw spun away from the ship. "Looks like they work!" Kitano chuckled, then looked over to Maria. "Okay, now it's your turn."

"Right," she replied, grabbing the maneuvering thruster controls. "Sir, is everyone onboard?"

Derek punched a few buttons, then said "IQ-9, are you back on board the _Yamato_?"

"Yes, sir," came the reply. "Gang plank is stowed, and all outer doors are sealed for space travel."

"Good work." Derek looked over to Maria and Kitano. "Maria, aim us at that hole. Kitano, begin energy buildup to the Wave Motion Gun."

"Right," they both said in unison. The ship started to move sideways, then turned slightly and raised the nose to line up with the hole that had been made with the main guns.

**Bridge of the Battlecruiser **_**Corona**_**, 2335 hours**

"General Gohr, we're approaching the _Brachtu_. Or, should I say what's left of her."

The General turned to address his aide. "Any life signs, Yizar?"

"Yes sir, but they are all coming from within the capture bay."

"Aha, they managed to capture some of their attackers!"

"Possibly, sir. All life signs are coming from within a large vessel. We can't connect to the _Brachtu's_ computer to find out anything about them though."

Suddenly there was an explosion from the side of the _Brachtu's_ capture bay, and a blue-white beam pushed its way out through the hull. "What in Arishna's name is that?" Gohr exclaimed.

"Something is coming through the hull, General!" one of the radar operators reported. The General stood and looked at the monitor to see a large silver and red battleship coming through a large hole.

"Well, Yizar," the General said to his aide. "Maybe you should just ask them who they are. They're coming this way."

As Maria squeezed the ship through the newly blasted hole, Eager took notice to the _Corona's_ presence. "We're clear of the ship, but there's another one out there waiting," he reported.

"The _Brachtu_ sent out a distress signal during the attack," Homer replied. "This ship must be responding to it." He turned a dial, then continued. "They're hailing us."

"You know what to do, Homer." Derek stood and looked up as the image of a short, squat man appeared.

"I am General Gohr, of the Battlecruiser _Corona_. Shut down your engines and prepare to be captured. You will answer for your crimes. Do not attempt to resist, we clearly outgun you."

Derek coughed, then said, "What crimes would those be?"

"The destruction of the _Brachtu_, for one."

Derek laughed, then said, "You just said you have us outgunned. You think we did that?" Derek pointed towards the wreckage of the _Brachtu_.

"Certainly not by yourselves."

"And can you pick up any reinforcements on your radar?" Derek challenged. The General was silent. "We don't even know where the hell we are right now. We were being taken back to our galaxy by General Razon when his ship was attacked by the Pri'Tan. Unfortunately there were no survivors."

General Gohr blinked, then said, "You're the ship from Earth? I heard that we had encountered a lost ship."

"That would be us. We managed to repair our engine, and were just about to figure out where we were so we can head back to Earth."

The General leaned to the side to talk to someone else, then looked back at Wildstar. "I know that Razon was escorting a ship through the Delta Tunnel. Unfortunately, the situation has now changed. With the destruction of one of our construction platforms, and now the loss of the _Brachtu_, we cannot spare any more ships to help you. I was sent in response to the _Brachtu_'s distress call. Our defense network is getting thinner by the day, so we cannot escort you back to your home world. I am sorry." The viewer went dark as the _Corona_ turned and pulled away.

"So, that's it." Maria put her head in her hands. "We're stuck out here."

"If I've learned anything in my time out here," Derek said, sitting down, "It's never over. There's always a bright star out there somewhere." The bridge crew looked up at him. "Sandor, have we incorporated the _Brachtu's_ navigation data into our own?"

Sandor hit a couple keys, and a map appeared on the viewer. "Some of the data was corrupted, but we've managed to come up with a way home." He stood and pointed to a line leading from one end of the screen to the other. "The tricky part is this large dark area, here." He highlighted a large spot in their path. "I can't tell exactly what it is, but the map says to avoid it. Without actually seeing it for myself, I can't make any recommendation about it."

"How long a trip are we looking at?" Derek asked.

"If we do continuous, long range warps, we'll make it back to our solar system in approximately four years."

Amid several gasps and expletives, Derek sighed and said, "We have no choice. We know we won't make it through the Delta Tunnel on our own. Maria, prepare for a long range warp."

"Sir, by the time we get home - "

Derek cut her off. "Which is why we don't have time to debate it. With any luck we'll find a faster way home, but for now, we start warping. Sandor, you're going to have to keep an eye on the ship, and we'll make repairs as we go."

Two minutes later, the _Yamato_ disappeared, followed by 20 ships.


	7. 7 Of New Friends and Those Long Passed

The _Yamato_ reappeared in normal space. "Here we are again," Maria said. "Is it just me, or does this empty section of space look like every other empty section of space we've seen over the past few days?"

They had been warping almost continuously, stopping for repairs when necessary, but had not encountered any other form of life since leaving the wreckage of the _Brachtu_. Derek looked up at the viewscreen, which was showing their position on the star map they had downloaded from the Gatlantean computer.

"Sandor, we're getting awfully close to that dark patch. We should send out recon while you and Orion check out the ship."

Sandor stood up and nodded. "I agree, Wildstar. To be safe though, I'd send an unmanned plane."

"We have one of those on board?" Derek didn't remember this from the post-launch briefing.

"Two, as a matter of fact. I must have forgotten to mention them." Sandor grinned.

"Yeah, well, we were sort of in a hurry to leave," Derek replied. "Fine, send one out. I want to know what we're flying into."

"Roger."

"Maria, full stop." Derek sat back down, and looked over at Nova. She looked a little uneasy in her chair, but she hadn't thrown up in a while. "Nova, looks like you're starting to get your space legs back," he said.

She didn't seem to hear him, then croaked out a weak sounding "Thanks." Homer and Eager looked over to her, but she waved them off. "I'm okay guys. Hazard of being Earthbound for years."

"I've been stationed at HQ for – HEY!" Homer was cut off when the ship lurched to the starboard suddenly.

"Oops." Maria said. "Sorry about that." She turned back to Nova and winked, but Nova had her head down on her radar panel. "Might wanna check the stabilizers while you're at it, Sandor."

He looked puzzled, then said, "Sure, I'll do that." He looked at the back of Maria's head, as if expecting a further explanation, then shrugged and left the bridge.

The probe flew out of the hangar bay, circled the ship a few times, then sped off in the direction of the "cloud," as some had been calling it. This was not the first time they were flying into unknown space, but this time they could at least scout ahead without risking someone's life. Since it would be at least an hour before any data came back, some of the crew decided to take it easy for a while.

Kitano walked into the gym, anxious to work off some of his frustration. Here he was, back on the _Yamato_, for which he was very grateful, yet it looked like they weren't going to make it back home. He had every faith in Wildstar, but the Pri'Tan were a huge variable. The last time he was in space on this ship, a training mission gone seriously amiss, he witnessed an entire planet destroyed, and that's just not something you can shrug off with a "wow, that was neat." For now, there was nothing he could do on the bridge besides stare out the window, and that's not what he wanted to do. He could have stayed home and done that. _Of course at home I might be dead._

He was shaken from his thoughts by the sounds of someone grunting and smacking something. He looked in the corner to see Maria furiously kicking and punching a training dummy. She didn't notice him come in, until he cleared his throat. She looked up at him mid-kick, missed, and fell flat on her back. Kitano managed to suppress a laugh, but his smirk did not go unnoticed.

"Oh, sure, laugh it up tough guy. Sneaking up on me like that." He held his hand out to help her up, which she took – and used to flip him in a corkscrew, sending him down to the mat.

He landed flat on his back with a loud "Oof!" Now it was Maria's turn to smirk as she held out her hand to him. "No thanks," he wheezed, "I'm good." He got back on his feet and eyed her carefully. He hadn't sized her up since meeting her on the _Gemini – _such things just were not proper, military code of ethics or not – but now that she was in shorts and a halter, he could see that she was rather athletic in her build.

This too did not get past her. "Like what ya see, tough guy?"

"I didn't take you for the martial arts type," Kitano allowed.

"Fatal mistake."

"Remind me not to get on your bad side."

She laughed. "I never knew I HAD a bad side." She spun around in front of one of the wall mirrors, as if to look herself over.

"I'm not gonna touch that one," Kitano replied as he stacked some weights on a machine.

"Mama raised you right, I see," Maria said, kicking at the dummy some more.

"I've learned a few things over the years, about what to say and what to keep to myself." He was positioning himself under the lifting bar.

"Oh trust me, I am sure I have heard them all in the academy. Any innocence a girl may have going in is lost long before graduation." She blushed suddenly, then added, "um, that's not to say... I mean..." She stammered and turned even more red.

This time Kitano couldn't help but laugh. "I think I get the gist."

She kicked and punched a few more times, then said, "Sorry, I'm sure there are protocols about that sorta talk. I can be a bit outspoken at times."

"Really? Hadn't noticed." He did a few reps on the weights, then added in a high voice, "Thank you for flying EDF airlines?"

"Well, I figured if I can lighten the mood a bit, why the hell not?" She stopped punching, and asked, "You don't think Commodore Wildstar was upset about it, do you?"

"I don't think so. I only served one mission with him, but he keeps things somewhat casual, on and off the bridge. As long as everyone understands there's a time and a place for levity, everything runs smoothly. He's different from other captains in that he allows familiarity among his crew, but he does know how to maintain discipline when necessary. For example, he, ah, made several crew-members jog around the ship in their skivvies during a training mission."

"Oh, lovely. I'll keep that in mind." She resumed her abuse of the punching bag. She looked down at Kitano, who turned his head away from her quickly. She winked and said, "And so will you, I imagine."

"The _Gemini_ was your first assignment?" Kitano asked, changing the subject.

"Not that it was much of an assignment, but yes. I had a few minor trips into orbit as part of training, of course, but escorting the _Prometheus _was my first actual mission. Pity it ended in disaster. I hope that doesn't become a habit. I would hate to be known as a bad luck charm."

"Everyone has to have something to be known for."

She stopped kicking and looked a bit sheepish. "Ah, yeah, about that... sorry about the 'beachcomber' crack. It was inappropriate, considering we had just met and all."

"Don't mention it. I was mortified at the time, freezing up like that, but I can look back and laugh about it now."

"Still, I should make it up to you." She thought a moment, then said, "I know! I'll let you work out with me!" She grinned as she kicked the target dummy one last time. The dummy looked relieved at this idea, even if Kitano did not.

"This is how you make it up to me? Wow, I should feel honored." He got off the bench and wiped his brow with a towel.

"Damn right you should. I don't work out with just anyone, tough guy." She walked to a mat and took a defensive stance.

"Um, okay, so what am I supposed to do?"

"Come at me." She held out a hand, and waved him towards her.

"Attack you?" He put his hands on his hips and looked her up and down.

"Bring it." She held her position.

"Okay, but go easy on me." He took a few steps towards her, then swung an arm sideways towards her hip. She blocked it with her own arm, and raised a leg towards his shoulder. He ducked, spun and grabbed her leg, then continued his spin, knocking her off balance and sending her spinning towards the mat. She reached out too late to catch herself and landed unceremoniously on her chest. Kitano dropped down, placing a knee between her shoulder blades.

"Holy shit," she puffed. "So much for first impressions."

"What were you saying about fatal mistakes?" he said with a huge smile.

**Commodore Derek Wildstar's Quarters, 1830**** Hours**

"Nova?" Derek knocked on the door to the bathroom. "Are you okay in there?" No answer. "Come on out, I'm starving. We don't want to miss dinner."

"Go away," came a muffled reply.

"Nova, what's wrong?"

"I said go away!"

"Not gonna happen. What's going on? Should I call Dr Sane?"

"No!"

"Nova, if you don't come out, I'm coming in!"

"NO!"

"Open this door or I am coming back with a blowtorch." He heard nothing, then added, "Or maybe I'll just get IQ-9 to rip it off its hinges."

A few seconds passed, finally the handle turned and the door opened a few inches. Derek pushed the door open slowly, not sure what to expect. He found his wife standing in front of the mirror in her underwear, in tears. Her face was red and blotchy. "Don't look at me," she mumbled.

"Why not?" Derek asked.

"I'm getting fat." She turned her back on him.

"Oh, come on. You're barely a month along, you're not even showing yet." He knew he had to speak carefully – pregnant women had crazy hormones, and the difference between the right words and the wrong ones meant sleeping in the engine room for the duration of the trip.

"My boobs are sore and I feel flabby," she sniffed, ready to start crying again. "I'm not going to fit into my uniform soon."

"And from what I hear, that's perfectly normal." He quickly added, "But you don't _look_ flabby."

He didn't see it, but she managed a light smile at that. "Derek, you're just trying to be nice."

"Is it working?" he said, cautiously placing his hand on her shoulder.

"No, but at least you're trying," she said, and this time he could hear a bit of that smile in her voice. He took this to mean it was safe to wrap his arms around her. She leaned her head back on his shoulder, and sniffled again. "Oh, Derek, this is wrong. All wrong."

"Having a baby?"

"No, having a baby so far away from Earth. From home."

"What makes you think we're not going to make it home in time?" As soon as he said it, he knew what her reply would be.

"Derek, I'm not one of the first-year cadets who will blindly swallow whatever you feed them in your pep talks. I've been on dangerous missions before, and I know how uncertain everything can be. Add to that we're up against an enemy we know very little about, and of course," she pulled away from him and gestured out the great glass dome on the front of the cabin. "Let us not forget that we're 3 gazillion light-years from our own galaxy! Our kid will be celebrating his fifth birthday when we finally get back to Earth – or what's left of it."

Derek approached her and took her in his arms again. "Nova, I don't have all the answers. You know that as well as anyone. But we have to keep up hope, even when it seems hopeless. If I start telling the crew, 'look, we're probably not going to make it home,' everyone is going to just give up. I don't need a mutiny on my hands like we had on Iscandar." He lifted her chin up so he could look into her swollen, bloodshot eyes. "Not to mention, you are part of Life Sciences, which is in part responsible for the morale of the crew. A lot of people look up to you, and if you fall apart, they're going to follow suit. You have always been strong, Nova, and I know we're going to get through this just fine."

"How can you be so sure?"

"You're not supposed to question your Captain," he grinned. "Keep your chin up."

She smiled at him, and asked, "Is that an order, Commodore, sir?"

"No, but it is a strong suggestion." He looked down at her, and said, "Get dressed so we can go to dinner. THAT'S an order." As she walked away from him, a voice came over the intercom.

"Wildstar?"

Derek walked over to the panel by the door and pushed a button. "Yes, Eager?"

"Sorry to bother ya, Wildstar, but we're startin' to get data back from the probe. Sandor thought you might wanna know about it."

"Anything I need to see right this very minute?" He thought a second, then added, "We were about to head for the mess hall." He looked over at Nova and said, "Wouldn't want him to get the wrong idea."

"Oh, no," she said, "Captains and their wives never have -" She winked. "Dinner together."

"Sorry Wildstar, but this is pretty important."

"Fine, I'll be down in a minute."

"We're in Analysis." The com went off.

Derek looked down at the floor, then opened the door. "You go on ahead, no reason we should both miss dinner. You're eating for two now, after all." The door closed, half a second before being struck by a flying pillow.

**Analysis Room, 1850 hours**

"Okay, guys, this better be good. I heard they're having roast beef tonight."

Sandor and Eager looked at Derek as he came in, then Eager said, "You're not missin' anything, Wildstar. The mashed potatoes could hold deck plating."

"Ah, just the way I like them too," Derek said. "Okay, so what am I looking at here?"

Sandor punched a few keys, and a large blue planet appeared on a viewscreen. "That's what the probe found, shortly before we lost track of it."

Derek looked at the planet, then at Sandor. "Out of range?"

"No, the signal would have gradually trailed off if it went out of range. The probe just disappeared."

"Someone doesn't want us pokin' around," Eager guessed. "We saw no sign that it was shot down though. The signal just suddenly stopped, right after it sent us this image." He motioned towards the planet.

"So no time to get life readings," Derek frowned.

"Nothin'. It appears that it could support life, but the probe didn't last long enough to tell us if there's anyone down there."

"Great. Pri'Tan base perhaps? That might be why it was blank on the map – the Gatlanteans lost ships in that area of space, so they have no data on it."

"Possibly," Sandor began, "Or, whoever lives down there values their privacy."

There was a sudden lurch, almost knocking Derek off his feet. "What the-?"

"I checked the stabilizers, there was nothing wrong with them," Sandor said.

A familiar rumbling noise could be heard from the front of the ship, followed by Maria's voice over the intercom. "Commodore Wildstar?"

"Go ahead Maria."

"Sorry to interrupt, sir."

"Take a number."

A pause, then "sir?"

"Why is my ship bouncing around?" Derek asked.

"Oh, right. We're being pulled towards the cloud. Reverse engines are having no effect."

"Spin us around and start the main engine. I'm on my way."

"Roger, sir."

Derek looked at the other two, waving them to follow as the ship shook again. "At least I have no dinner to bring up."

Maria was muttering some choice words in Spanish as Derek, Sandor, Eager, and Homer reached the bridge. "Status?" Derek asked as he sat down.

"I can't get the ship to turn. Whatever has us isn't letting go."

Sandor was looking at a display. "It's not a magnetic wave, or a space current. I'm not reading any distortions, so it's not a black hole."

"Maria, kill the engines. We're just wasting power."

She did so, then said, "Engines off, but speed is unchanged."

"Time to entry?" Derek asked.

"We'll enter the cloud in about 20 minutes," Eager reported.

"That fast? The probe took over an hour to reach it." Sandor walked over to Eager's station. "Check that again."

Eager turned a few calibration dials, then checked again. "20 minutes, sir," he repeated.

Derek stood, just as Nova came running out of an elevator. He looked at her, but she shook her head and sat down at her station.

"Anything on radar?" he asked once she had a chance to scan the twin displays.

"Nothing out there," she replied.

"Wildstar, we're getting a message!"

"Read it, Homer."

He hesitated, then warned, "The message doesn't make any sense. It just says, 'Welcome home, sister.'"

"What?" Derek looked at Homer, then repeated, "What?"

"That's it, sir. 'Welcome home, sister.'"

"Someone's in for a bit of a surprise," Maria said. "I don't think any of the crew are from downtown Black Cloudsville."

"Okay, options time. What can we do?" Derek asked the bridge crew.

"Turning the ship is out, and there's nothing nearby to grab onto with a rocket anchor," Maria said with a dejected sigh.

"Fire the wave motion gun, and use the recoil!" Kitano exclaimed.

"It worked once," Eager agreed.

"Except we don't know what's inside that cloud," Derek said. "With the increased range of the gun, we might hit the planet."

"Planet?" Dash asked.

"The probe we sent found a planet, but we have no idea what's on it." Sandor explained.

"Safe to assume that there's life on it, I think," Homer said. "Someone sent that message."

"We'll find out soon enough, unless we can break away," Derek said.

"Ten minutes to cloud perimeter." Eager called out.

"What about the planet? How long?" Derek asked.

Eager looked at his sensors, then said, "There's no planet out there, at least accordin' to long distance radar."

"Are we following the probe's path?" Derek asked.

"Approximately," Sandor answered. "Close enough that we should see everything it saw. We're moving more than twice as fast, so if there's a planet out there, we should be able to see it unless the cloud is blocking radar."

Eager piped in, "But the probe was able to send us a signal, so whatever this cloud is, it only blocks the signal from the outside."

Derek sat back down. Maria looked back at him, obviously waiting for orders.

"We ride it out." Derek leaned back and crossed his arms. "Someone wants us in there, and it looks like the only way we're going to find out who and why is to accept their invitation." The lack of responses seemed to be agreement from the crew.

Homer broke the silence, "Wildstar, another message coming through. They want to know why we haven't replied."

"I'm not sure what to say back. Homer, introduce us, maybe we can find out who it is." Derek mentally kicked himself for not thinking of this earlier.

"This is the _Yamato," _Homer began, "Please identify yourself, and explain your previous message."

Silence, then a crackle, then a woman's voice. "Calaeno?"

Derek mouthed the word, but it still made no sense to him. He stood, and said, "Homer, put it on the main com." He waited, then said, "This is Derek Wildstar, of the Earth ship _Yamato_. Please repeat your message."

Almost a minute went by, then the voice came back. "Where is Calaeno?"

"There isn't anyone on this ship named Calaeno. Who am I speaking to?"

Another few seconds, then, "Calaeno, it's me, Alcyone."

Derek shook his head. "Apparently there has been a misunderstanding. There is no one here by that name. Are you the one pulling us into the black cloud? We found a planet -"

He was cut off by another voice, this time deeper and more authoritative. "Derek Wildstar, my name is Melinda. It appears we have much to discuss. Please allow us to bring you through the protection field safely. Sterope will meet you when you land."

Homer shrugged, saying, "That's it, sir. They've stopped transmitting."

Derek looked out into space, but they were so close to the cloud that no stars were visible. "Well, we have a few names, but more questions than answers."

Before he could say more, the ship entered the barrier. Thousands of images flooded Derek's mind. Iscandar. Earth. The Twin Nebula. Other nebulas he didn't recognize. Gamilon. Planets of various colors that he could not identify. And then stars. An endless sea of stars. His panic had changed to calm. He felt at peace.

He was jerked back to reality by Maria's voice. "We're clear of the cloud. There's a planet ahead of us."

Derek shook his head, as if to shake loose something that was tickling the back of his mind. "Main viewer." The large viewscreen came on, with a blue planet ahead of them. They were drawing closer to it at a rapid rate. "I assume we still have no control over the ship?"

Maria hit a few switches and jerked back and forth on the sticks. "Nothing."

"Great," Derek mumbled.

Suddenly, the voice came back on the com system. Homer had a look on his face that said, "I didn't do it!"

"Derek Wildstar, this is Melinda. We are returning control of your ship to you. You should be able to see a large island ahead of you. Please land at the southern tip, where you will find a dock large enough to accommodate you. Sterope will meet you there."

Before Derek could answer, Homer cut in with, "She's gone again." With that, the ship shook a little.

"Maria, get the engines going. Take us down."

"Yessir!" She was already throwing levers, and shortly afterwards the engines came to life. "Deploying wings," she added. She steered the ship downwards, circling the large island until they were aimed at the southern part.

"I see the dock," Maria pointed. There was a large stone semi-circle coming out from the land mass. "That's gotta be it."

"Okay, Maria, set us down nice and gentle," Derek said.

"I'll try to keep the bumps to a minimum," she said, lifting the nose and turning towards the opening. The ship glided in smoothly, then tipped forward suddenly, hitting the water nose first. "Oh, damn," she said under her breath as she hit the reverse engines and turned hard to port. The _Yamato_ skidded in with a splash, stopping near the edge of the dock.

"Smooth," Kitano said once the ship had finally stopped.

"Not bad for my first water landing," Maria answered, quite obviously shaken. She managed a grin, but she looked like she wanted to crawl under the navigation panel.

"Damage report, Sandor?" Derek asked.

"Oh, that's not funny," Maria said quietly. Sandor, however, understood it to be a joke on Derek's part, and did not answer.

"Okay, time to go meet our hosts," Derek said, standing up. "Sandor, Nova, care to come along?"

Maria was about to protest being left behind, but thought better of it when she saw Homer smacking the side of his head as if clearing water from his ear.

Derek looked up at the viewscreen. "Anyone out there waiting for us?" The image came up of a large glass and metal building. The picture zoomed in on a group of people, all of whom were waving.

"Derek, that's..." Nova started.

"It can't be." Derek was staring, mouth agape.

"It is."

No one said anything for a minute, until Maria looked up and said, "Okay guys, the suspense is killing me here... who can't it be?"

"Starsha."


	8. 8 The Seven Sisters

"That's not possible," Nova said.

"Whoa, wait, you guys lost me." Maria stood up and looked at the viewscreen, then back at Derek. "You mean Starsha of Iscandar? Cosmo DNA? 187,000 light years and back in a year? That Starsha?"

"If I didn't see it myself, I wouldn't believe it." Derek was still looking at the slender woman, who was still waving.

"Wildstar, remember," Sandor began, "we've been fooled before."

"Sandor?" Derek looked down at him.

"The Black Nebula Empire created a fictional Earth to make us think we had travelled to the future."

"That's true," Nova said. "A future where the Black Nebula Empire had taken over the Earth and destroyed the _Yamato_."

"Sandor, let's bring IQ-9. If there's some sort of illusion happening here, he might pick up on it."

"Okay." The three headed for the elevator, while the remaining bridge crew continued to stare at the image of Starsha, beckoning to them.

The gangplank extended down the side of the ship, unfolding its way to the dock. When the railing popped up, the side door opened and out stepped Derek, Nova, and Sandor, with IQ-9 rolling behind them. They made their way down the ramp, until they were face to face with the welcoming party.

Derek was first to speak. "Queen Starsha? Is it really you?"

She smiled at them, and replied, "In a way, yes. More accurately, I am appearing in the form you remember."

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Derek began, but Starsha raised her hand.

"All will become clear. Come, please." She turned and headed for the door, followed by her entourage. Derek and the others followed.

"IQ, do you detect anything unusual?" Sandor asked.

"It is highly unusual to meet someone who has been dead for almost 8 years."

"BESIDES that, tin-wit," Sandor said curtly.

"As far as I can tell, this is all real. I am not detecting any illusions. The planet is real. The people are real. Queen Starsha is real."

They followed her to a moving stair, which led them out of the dock building and into a large glass tower. "Where are we going?" Nova asked.

"You need to meet my sisters. Then you will understand."

"I only remember one sister," Derek began, then left it alone. Starsha's sister Astra was killed when she crashed on Mars, and Starsha might not want to talk about it. "And there were no others on Iscandar."

Starsha said nothing. Derek shook his head, afraid he had offended her.

They arrived in a glass foyer and were led into a large open atrium, which was filled with lush greenery and fruit trees. While they were looking around, Starsha motioned towards a circular table in the center. There was a woman already seated at the table.

"Allow me to introduce one of my sisters: Merope."

Derek barely heard her. He found himself staring into the face of Astra.

"By the look on your face," Astra began, "You recognize our mortal forms."

"Then you are -" he began.

"Please, sit." Astra waved at the empty chairs closest to Derek. "Melinda should be here shortly. She is the eldest, and as such the privilege falls to her to explain everything." She then turned to Starsha and said, "Melinda gets to have all the fun."

"Yes, I know," Starsha replied. "It's not fair, really."

As they sat, several men and women walked in, each dressed in togas, each carrying trays of food and jugs of liquid. Nova suddenly heard frantic beeping from behind her, as she turned to see IQ-9's arm about to raise towards one of the females. "Don't even think about it!" she hissed. The arm withdrew and IQ-9 made a disappointed grinding noise as he settled into the corner. He raised his antennae and began scanning the area.

In a few minutes, another woman walked in, this one taller and possibly a bit older, but with the same flowing gown and hair as the other women. She bowed slightly, and said, "I am Melinda. It is a great honor to meet you." She sat down next to Starsha as a tray of food was placed before her. She nodded her thanks, then said, "Please, everyone, enjoy our bounty. I have much to tell you and don't want anyone to starve."

"Great, that means we're going to be here a while," Starsha mumbled.

"What about dying of boredom?" Astra whispered back.

If Melinda heard the comments, she chose to ignore them.

Derek stood and bowed slightly, then said, "Allow me to introduce -"

Melinda raised her hand. "No need. I know who you are," she said, looking into his eyes as he sat down. "Derek Wildstar_._" He stared back at her blankly, then she moved on.

"Stephen Sandor_._" He nodded solemnly.

"Nova Mori Forrester Wildstar_._" Nova nodded, grasping Derek's hand tightly.

Melinda said softly, "Strange, I felt four souls enter, yet I only see three of you, plus your mechanical companion. Surely, the mechanical does not possess..." She looked briefly at IQ-9, then her eyes returned to Nova, where they lingered for a moment. "Ah, yes, that explains it!" Melinda said with a warm, knowing smile. "All our blessings upon you and yours to be."

For some reason, Nova was not surprised that this woman knew. Then she noticed that Sandor was staring at her with an odd expression. "Later," she whispered. He nodded and looked back to Melinda.

She spread her arms and said, "I am sure you have many questions. Allow me to ask you one first: do you know of the Seven Sisters?"

"It sounds familiar," Nova said, then looked behind her. "Would it be cheating if I asked IQ-9?"

Without waiting for an answer, IQ-9 spoke. "The Seven Sisters are a legend dating back to Ancient Greek Mythology. According to the legend, the titan Atlas and the nymph Pleione had seven daughters: Celaeno, Maia, Electra, Taygete, Alcyone, Sterope, and Merope. Except for Merope, the Sisters bore children to the gods Zeus, Poseidon, and Ares. Merope, however, consorted with the mortal Sisyphus, and thus was not held in high favor."

Merope gave a disgusted sounding "hmph!", but said nothing.

"Your mechanical speaks correctly," Melinda said. "Following that legend, I am Maia. However, I use the name Melinda when I am in mortal form, and have grown quite used to it."

"The Pleiades?" Derek asked, incredulously.

"Correct. Your astronomers did name the Pleiades Star Cluster after us."

"So, the legend is based on truth," Nova said.

"As are many of your ancient legends, Nova. However, it goes much, much further than that." She turned and looked to her sisters briefly, then continued. "The legend of the Sisters may have come into existence on Earth because we occasionally take corporeal form and walk among you."

"Wait," Derek interrupted. "You mean you are not always, er, corporeal?" Melinda nodded. "Then what are you?"

"Your language does not have an exact word for what we are. The closest idea would be essence, or perhaps spirit. We exist, freely roaming the universe. Earth was one of our favorite places to visit. We found its people fascinating, and so we would occasionally take mortal form and live among them. Even in our mortal form, we still had some abilities that the people of your planet considered to be extraordinary. When we found that the people began to worship us as part of their beliefs in gods, we left Earth, never to return as mortal beings. This simply was not our way – it was never our intention to influence your culture, but the damage was done.

"Over the years, we watched the universe expand and evolve. We watched while distant worlds grew, advanced, and died. Of the ones that survived, many reached out to other civilizations, although not always using the hand of goodwill. Through your travels, I am sure you learned that Earth is a fairly young planet in the grand scheme of things. However, Earth seems to be unique, in that it attracts other worlds to it. We are still watching, hoping to better understand this phenomenon."

Sandor closed his eyes and said slowly, "It would explain a great many things. The Dinguil had a birthright, but the Gamilons? The Comet Empire? The Black Nebula? What drew them to Earth, of all places?"

"Some of these are actually simple to explain, which I shall in due time," Melinda continued.

"If I may ask, and I apologize if you were getting to this," Derek began, looking to Starsha and Astra, "but..." He hesitated, unsure how to word his thoughts. "I'm sorry, Sterope and Merope, is it? Well, they look like Starsha and Astra of Iscandar."

"Yes, that is no coincidence," Sterope replied. "Earth was not the only planet we visited. Iskandall, or Iscandar as you know it, was one where Merope and I spent a great deal of time. We wanted to experience first hand their Age of Enlightenment. They were discovering wondrous new things, tapping into the very building blocks of their physical beings. Given a few more centuries, they may have even learned to ascend beyond their flesh. But then, something unforeseen happened."

Merope took up the story. "As you know, Iskandall had a twin planet, Gamilas. Gamilas had several clans that were constantly fighting amongst themselves, destroying their world in the process. They began to take notice of Iskandall and their technology, and craved it for themselves. Sterope and I had spent so much time there that we felt like we were one of them, and felt compelled to help."

"And thus, they broke one of the rules," Melinda stated firmly.

"Yes, yes," Sterope said with a sigh. "We tried to, well, nudge them along a bit. We tried to influence their discoveries to speed their development. Unfortunately," she looked down and appeared about to cry, "their scientists misinterpreted a dream I implanted in their minds, and made a deadly mistake. In their attempt to extend their lives, they ended them quite suddenly."

"The plague that Starsha told us about," Nova whispered. "She said the plague claimed the lives of everyone on the planet except her and her sister."

"It was I who met you on Iskandall," Sterope said. "Iskandall was a lifeless world, all because of what we had done. At the same time, Gamilas became aware that their planet was slowly consuming itself, and so they began to consider Earth as a possible replacement. They knew that if Gamilas were to explode, it would destroy Iskandall as well, so they searched for a new home far enough away that any damage done by Gamilas would not harm their new world. Iskandall's people may have had the ability to reverse the damage done to Gamilas, but, we..."

"Utterly destroyed their civilization," Melinda cut in again.

"Yes." Merope continued. "The people of Iskandall did have the technology to cleanse Earth of the radiation Gamilas caused, however there was no one left to make use of it. To make amends, Sterope and I took the place of the Queen and her sister. We sent the message to Earth, as well as plans for their faster-than-light engine."

"I don't understand why you didn't just come to Earth and give it to us in person," Derek said.

"We were already under attack by one planet, Derek," Nova replied. "How willing would we be to trust another planet who just lands on our front lawn and says, 'Here, this will fix everything?' In all likelihood, we would have assumed them to be part of the invasion force, trying to get us to trust them so they could move in without any further bombing."

Sterope nodded. "We were also forbidden to get directly involved. Our attempts to save one world destroyed it. We could not take the chance of doing the same with your world. Earth is too important to let it die."

"But you did get involved," Derek pointed out.

"Not directly. We were told that we could not take their genetic manipulation equipment to you. However, we were not told that we could not offer it, and give you the means to get it yourselves." She smiled at her cleverness. "But, there is more to it than just that."

Silence, then Derek said, "We had to prove we were worthy of such a gift."

Merope pointed at him, then clapped her hands in excitement. "Yes! Yes, that's it exactly! Earth had to prove that it was worthy of its destiny."

"What destiny?" Nova asked.

"Why, of course you -"

Melinda interrupted loudly, "Perhaps you have said too much already, Merope?" Merope placed her hands over her mouth, looked at Melinda, and nodded. Melinda then looked back at Derek.

"So, Earth is somehow destined for greatness, and it is this that compelled you to protect us." Derek said.

"The cleansing of Earth would have happened anyway. The fact that it was my sisters who contacted you, and not the real Starsha and Astra, was because we had to correct our error. However, there was, yet again, a complication."

"My brother Alex crash landed on Iscandar."

"More to the point, he chose to stay on Iskandall. No one was supposed to remain once you had returned to your Earth – he was supposed to leave with you. Merope had already returned to us, and Sterope was to follow, however, she.. she..." Melinda appeared to be growing angry again, and Sterope looked ashamed. "She consorted with a mortal!"

Merope said quietly, "So your legend kinda had it backwards. It wasn't ME who fell from grace." Sterope shot her a dirty look, then looked back down at the table when Melinda cleared her throat.

"Sterope and your brother Alexander had a child. This put into motion a chain of events that led to your involvement with the Black Nebula Empire, and most recently, the Pri'Tan."

"We ended up at war with the Black Nebula because we answered a distress call from Iscandar," Derek said.

"A distress call that would have never been sent if no one had been on that world. However, Sterope and your brother chose to stay behind. Were it not for your brother, Iskandall would have simply spun off into space, a casualty due to Gamilas' destruction. The natural order of things, if you will. The war would have been between the Gamilas Leader Desslok and the Black Nebula Empire, and Earth would not have been involved. The Black Nebula Empire would not have attacked the Earth in retaliation. But since Sterope and Alexander stayed behind, and... and..." She couldn't bring herself to say it. "You had to rush to Iskandall to aid your brother and the outcast, and thus got dragged into the conflict."

"Outcast?" Nova asked.

"Sasha," Derek explained. "Sasha was half mortal and half... whatever these sisters are. She grew faster than a normal human, and had powers she couldn't control. Knowing all this, I can see that she would never be accepted in either their world or ours. I am guessing she lacked the ability to leave her corporeal form at will, as you can do."

"Correct," Melinda replied. "When Sterope sacrificed Iskandall in an attempt to end the war, she went to Sasha in dreams, attempting to explain what she was. Sasha could not cope with this, and we knew she would never be complete until she was with her mother. Due to her mortal body, this was not possible."

Sandor said, "There was a point where Mio, er, Sasha started to become a bit, well, unhinged. I assumed it was just because she had trouble coming to terms with her abilities, not to mention her fast growth rate."

"And as her guardian, you were forced to deal with great pain upon Sasha's death."

"Yes. I loved her like she was my own daughter."

"It may sound crude of us for taking her away, but it was necessary. The only way to correct their mistake was to essentially erase all traces of it. Starsha, Astra, the planet Iskandall, and the outcast all had to be eliminated." Nova opened her mouth as if to protest, but Melinda raised her hand. "As I said, our methods may seem cruel and unfeeling, but you have to understand – had Sterope and Merope not interfered, Earth's history would have unfolded much differently. You would have defeated Gamilas, fought off the great water planet, and you would now be at peace. The war with Dezarium would not have occurred, you would not have destroyed their planet, and the twin nebulas would not have been reformed."

"And the Pri'Tan would not be attacking us right now." Derek put his head down in his hands.

"Earth has been placed in danger, all because of one error in judgement." Melinda stated.

"Wait, what about Zordar? We still would have fought him, right?" Nova asked.

"Ah, the Gatlanteans. Yes. A mistake of a different sort I am afraid. It is possible that you still would have fought the Comet Empire, however it is difficult to tell exactly how that war would have taken place had yet another sister not interfered."

"Another?" Derek asked.

"Electra." Melinda sat back down. "Who, as you can see, is not with us. She has gone back to her true form and has chosen never to take corporeal form again. She too, in her own way, affected Earth, or at the very least one of its inhabitants."

"Trelaina," Nova said suddenly.

"Much in the way Sterope and Merope were infatuated with the people of Iskandall, Electra visited Telezart, only rather than taking a new form, she attempted to possess the body of another. A young girl named Teresa. Well, this simply did not work as planned, and Electra became trapped in this new body, at first unaware of who or what she was. She essentially lived vicariously through Teresa, although Teresa was unaware of this.

"When Prince Zordar came to Telezart with his war machine, he demanded their allegiance and technology. They refused, and even attempted to fight back. Zordar was so angered by their refusal that he slaughtered many of the people of Telezart, including Teresa and her family. Once the young girl who was Teresa was gone, Electra was free to control that body, and she came to the realization of what had happened. She once again had access to her powers, but they were severely limited and she did not have full control over them. She also found that she was still trapped in a young body. She was able to manage enough power to drive off Zordar, but in doing so she got carried away and incinerated everything and everyone on the surface of the planet. Telezart was forever changed to a lifeless rock in space, save for the small sanctuary she kept beneath the surface in order to sustain herself."

Derek cleared his throat and said, "General Razon told us some of this, at least from the Gatlantean perspective. They found her, alone and scared, but she insisted on staying. Fearing her uncontrolled power, they had no choice but to leave her there."

"Electra had no choice but to stay there. Her punishment was to remain isolated until she found a way to leave that body and return to us. We did not want any further tainting of other cultures. Two worlds had been destroyed because of our influence.

"In time, her body grew into the young woman you remember, and she managed to regain most of her abilities. However she was still unable to leave, and at that same time she was aware of Zordar heading for Earth. Unable to leave Telezart, she sent a message to warn the Earth – using the same loophole Sterope and Merope used to bring you to Iskandall. She could not get directly involved, but she decided that she could safely call you to action.

"When she converted Telezart into antimatter to attack the Comet Empire, she would have lost her mortal form, and thus would have been returned to us. However, at the last minute she hesitated, and held back. Do you know why this is?"

"Because she loved Mark." Nova had tears in her eyes.

"Yes. Once again, the love of an Earther influenced a critical decision. The Comet Empire could have been stopped right then and there, and Earth would have been spared much unnecessary loss. But once again, love got in the way, and events unfolded much differently. Electra retained her mortality so she could be with your Mark Venture. Finally, watching Zordar unleash his power upon your world, she realized that the only way to save Earth was to use what power she had left to destroy Zordar. Earth did not have the means to do so, so she stepped in – in essence, making up for her earlier mistake of not destroying him when she had the chance."

No one was able to speak. It was almost impossible to comprehend that the Earth had so often been placed in danger because these sisters used other worlds as playthings. Through it all though, something nagged at the back of Derek's mind.

"Wait, you said there were seven sisters. There are 3 unaccounted for. What have THEY done?" He didn't mean to show his anger, but it was obvious to everyone what he felt right at that moment.

"Alcyone is among us, but has never taken mortal form and thus cannot appear before you. Taygete, well, you know her better as Mariposa." Derek's eyebrows went up. "Taygete, overly curious about a living planet known only as Phantom, decided to visit it firsthand. Phantom was not a planet, it was a living organism that took the shape of a planet, and it had the ability to show visitors exactly what they desired. The visitors would stay, believing they had found paradise, allowing Phantom to slowly feed off their mental energy. Eventually, the people would be left as nothing but lifeless husks, and Phantom would move on in search of more food.

"When Phantom attempted to claim Taygete for itself, she naturally fought back. Their powers clashed, causing a rift in space and time. The planet and everyone on it were duplicated, and drifted apart. This release of energy split Taygete into two halves – a mortal form, which you met as Mariposa, and Ruda, her 'ethereal' form, if you will. When Phantom moved on, it took Mariposa with it, leaving the new planet, which Ruda called 'Shalbart,' behind. Mariposa, realizing she no longer had the power to resist Phantom's psionic attacks indefinitely, managed to go into a form of hibernation near the center of the planet. In time, Phantom accepted Mariposa as a companion, having been the only being to ever resist. Phantom protected Mariposa until a way could be found to reunite the two parts. Ruda, on the other hand, did not have enough of herself to leave planet Shalbart, and was stranded there for many millennia. She attempted to reach out to other worlds seeking help, but this had the side effect of influencing many people to worship her as a goddess or guardian. Over time, the term 'guardian' became misinterpreted as 'Guardiana,' hence the term you heard when you were led to her. The rest, of course, you know." She made what sounded like a snort, then said, "Once again, feelings for a mortal almost proved to be disastrous."

"And that leaves one more," Nova challenged.

"Ah yes, Celaeno. She has not been among us for over 200 of your years."

"Alcyone thought we were Celaeno when we approached this world."

"Yes. She felt Celaeno's presence when you drew near. Naturally she thought our sister had finally returned home. As it turns out, she has, just not in the way we expected."

"I don't understand. Celaeno is on our ship?" Derek immediately looked at Nova, who had a look of shock on her face.

"My child?" she gasped.

"Your what?" Sandor asked.

"Later!" she shot back.

"No," Melinda said, "Nothing quite that simple."

"_Yamato_." Derek whispered, almost afraid that someone would hear him.

"Yes." Melinda nodded. "Your ship is carrying the essence of Celaeno. Which, I might add, is part of why you are here."

"Okay, back up. How -?" Sandor started to ask, but Melinda cut him off.

"Many years ago, Celaeno visited your Earth. Like the rest of us, she was intrigued by your progress, but she was not so interested in your scientific or medical advances. No, for some reason, she was fascinated by the art of war. She did not take corporeal form, as it allowed her to wander unhindered and without the chance of accidentally affecting your natural evolution. She visited the Earth many times over the years. If the Earth had a war, you can be sure she was there someplace. She never interfered, unlike some I might mention." Sterope and Merope hung their heads.

"Celaeno was at the battle that sank the original battleship _Yamato._ She saw it go down, and watched as the opposing pilots saluted the sinking ship. She was touched by such honor and bravery, She continued to watch every time there was conflict, but no battle affected her as much as the one that sank the _Yamato._ From what I know of humans, this probably sounds somewhat obsessive, but this is what interested her most. She observed for many more years, never passing judgement on either side, just observing.

"So, when the time came for the Earth to unite as one and stand up to Gamilas, then, and only then, did she decide the time was right for her to get involved. She joined with the battleship _Yamato_ as it was being rebuilt on the irradiated sea bed, rising into space with it, and helping you defeat your enemies."

"She is the reason we have always been victorious?" Derek demanded. He didn't sit well with the idea that all this time, they had help from a higher power.

"Yes, and, well, no. She stayed with your ship, using herself as not only a magnifier for your own valor and bravery, but also as a magnet for the souls of those who died on that ship."

Derek looked dumbfounded. "Many of us have said that there has always been a presence on that ship. I have always been aware of, well, ghosts of former crew onboard. They would visit me at times of need. Don't look at me like that, Sandor, you know what I am talking about. Even as a man of science, you can't deny that there is more to that ship than just her metal parts."

"I would have to agree with you, Wildstar," Sandor replied. "_Yamato_ does have a soul."

"Many souls, if what Melinda says is true," Nova corrected.

"Yes, your ship has been strengthened by the presence of former warriors. However, she never gave disproportionately from what the crew offered."

"Meaning, if the crew were to give up, she would stop helping us," Derek said.

"Exactly. As long as you remained true to yourselves and to each other, and continued to uphold your high standards, she would always be there for you."

Again, Derek was torn in his emotions. It explained why the old ship had managed to hold together all those years. No ordinary ship could withstand the pounding the _Yamato _received over its lifetime since its resurrection back in 2199.

"But then... we destroyed her." Nova looked like she was going to be sick. "We abandoned her and... and... blew her up."

"No, of course you didn't," Melinda reassured her. "There is a difference between needless destruction and sacrifice. Your Captain Avatar knew about Celaeno. She helped keep him alive all those years. So when he came up with the idea to repel Aquarius with your own ship, he consulted with her, and she gave her assistance willingly. You see, had you simply abandoned the ship for lack of need, she would have moved on. Disappointed, I am sure, but she would have gone on to other things. But even at the end, you were all right there with her. You regretted doing it, but you did what you knew was necessary, and Celaeno was only too happy and ready to help you do it."

"Again, in the name of protecting the Earth," Derek offered.

"Yes, quite so."

"So, where did she go after we destroyed the ship?"

"She gave of herself to magnify the explosion to ensure that Aquarius would indeed be sent away from Earth. She then lay in wait, knowing that some day your ship would be needed again."

"Celaeno has been sitting inside a frozen ship for the last four years?" Derek asked, wide eyed.

"She was unable to return to us. With your help, she now has. In fact, knowing her, she guided you to us."

"So getting stuck on the other side of the known universe was all her idea?" Nova asked.

"Well, no, I am certain it wasn't. It has never been her way to make people do things they wouldn't normally do. However, it is more than mere chance that you ended up here."

"Oh good, I'd hate to let Maria off the hook so soon," Derek smirked. Nova swatted him across the shoulder.

"I find it hard to accept that our ending up in Galaxy M33 and running into the Gatlanteans was more than mere chance." Sandor was shaking his head. "It could be possible that Celaeno somehow guided Maria's calculations to bring us here."

"Celaeno would never place you in danger, I can assure you." Melinda stood and waved in the general direction of the docks. "I will see her now."

Not "May I see her," or "Would you take me to your ship?" Melinda said it with such finality, and had it been anyone else Derek would have been offended. Yet, he felt that if anyone had a right to be on the _Yamato, _it was Melinda.

Derek stood, helped Nova to her feet, and was followed by Sandor, IQ-9, Melinda, and Sterope. "If you'll excuse me, I have some things to attend to," Merope said, leaving the room.

Rather than ask what, Derek asked instead, "What is this place?"

Melinda smiled and replied, "This place has no name. It is simply a place where we are able to meet with others not like us."

"So this planet just sits here until needed?" Sandor asked.

"It is not always a planet. We create it as necessary to accommodate our guests. When we saw you approaching, we created something that would look natural to you."

"Hence a planet resembling Earth, or Iscandar," Nova pointed out.

"Exactly!" said Melinda.

"So if you were expecting us, what happened to our probe? Why were we dragged in? Why didn't you just give us heading information so we could enter on our own?" Derek realized he was asking too many questions at once and stopped abruptly.

"The protective barrier around our sanctuary is intended to disorient any craft attempting to fly through it. If we did not wish you here, you would have flown through it and ended up on the other side. Your probe intrigued us, since it was able to make it through the barrier. When we detected traces of Celaeno on it, we surmised that she guided it through the barrier. That was when we took a closer look at your ship and realized that Celaeno was with you, and so we brought you in straightaway. I do apologize for Alcyone though, she misunderstood when I told her that Celaeno was coming home. I don't think she realized that she would not be speaking directly with her sister."

They had arrived at the ramp leading into the ship.

"Yes." Melinda said, head bowed. "Celaeno is here."

"Would we be able to see her?" Nova asked, looking around.

"She has remained hidden all these years, but since you now know about her, she may appear to you." Melinda started walking up the ramp. "Yes, I definitely feel her presence here. It is strongest in the rear of the ship."

"Okay, then, the engine room it is," Sandor said.

The engine room was abandoned, save for a few hands doing routine maintenance. Derek entered first, raising his voice and saying, "Can I have everyone please leave the engine room?" He looked around as people nodded and left. He looked around, seeing no one else, and said, "Okay, we're alone in here."

"It wasn't necessary to make them all leave their stations," Melinda said softly.

"I don't know all of the engine crew as well as I do my bridge staff," Derek said. "The idea of the ship being possessed by a supernatural being might freak them out."

"I understand," Melinda said, nodding. She then turned and looked at the wave motion engine.

"Why here?" Sandor asked.

"Power attracts power," Melinda said. "This engine is a source of great power, as is Celaeno. Here they can feed off one another."

_Similar to a giant parasite_, Derek thought.

As if hearing his thoughts, Melinda turned to him and said, "She gives back more than she takes." Derek turned his head and felt hot.

Melinda again looked at the engine. "I am here, Sister. These people deserve to meet you in person."

There was a shimmer near one of the engine panels, then a shape. The shape molded itself into that of a tall slender woman. Sandor and Derek closed their eyes, while Nova gasped and IQ-9 started beeping madly.

"Please, sister. These people have customs where clothing is concerned." Melinda chuckled a bit.

"Of course, my mistake." The figure, previously naked, now had on a scarlet robe.

"You may open your eyes now," Melinda said.

Derek looked upon Celaeno. She resembled her sisters in build, had the same hair, and had the same glow about her. Unlike the others, she did not seem solid. She was more like a holographic projection. He found himself without any words.

"Sister," Melinda said. "It is good to see you again. We wondered when you would return to us."

"I am sorry," Celaeno said softly. Her voice echoed, as if she was addressing them from a great distance. "It was my intention to return to you after helping the _Yamato _with the Aquarian planet, but I found I was too weak to do so. So, I lay waiting."

Derek felt sick all of a sudden. "I am sorry, we didn't -"

Celaeno raised her hand. "Please, no apologies are necessary. I made the choice, and I knew that I would have to live with whatever consequences occurred. I already knew that binding my form to a physical being, be it mortal or inanimate, could be dangerous. I was aware of what happened to Electra. I took a chance that binding to a non-living entity would be safer. What I found was most odd – I had the ability to leave at any time, however I was compelled not to. It was as if the ship was taking on a life of its own, perhaps catalyzed by my presence, or perhaps it was already there and I was drawn to it. Either way, I did not wish to leave your ship. I had grown quite fond of your presence aboard the _Yamato, _and while you were not aware of me, subconsciously you all felt most comfortable on board."

Derek and Nova were both nodding, while Sandor stood and watched the engine. Derek spoke first.

"What you say is true. Even though there was peace, and no reason to be on board, many of us felt ill at ease when we were assigned to other ships. When we would come back on board, we felt, well, at home."

"When we went into battle those first few times," Nova said, "I was scared. Scared for my life, scared for the lives of the crew. But we won. We always won. I felt more confident, and less scared. It never occurred to me that something beyond the ship was protecting us."

Derek nodded. "It was you, all this time. Always you, protecting us, making sure we couldn't lose."

"Please, Derek Wildstar, do not be angry with me. It was never my intent to shield you from any real dangers you faced. Truthfully, I did not change the outcome of any battles you fought. I did, however, act as a conduit for your life energy."

"Our life energy?" Derek asked. "Treleina used that term too."

"Yes. All beings, whether they are aware of it or not, possess an energy of some form. Different cultures have different words, but it is simply energy. As long as one has life, one possesses that energy. The energy to do what must be done. The energy to go on living, as long as one wishes to. Not everyone knows how to tap into that energy, but those that do are capable of great feats. It is this energy that has kept you and your crew going over the years. The will to survive, I believe you would call it. You never gave up, despite the odds against you. You kept going, drawing on your inner strength. And you were victorious in the end."

"You made this possible?" Nova asked.

"I did nothing that you could not have done on your own. But," she smiled, and to Derek it almost looked like nervousness, "I did help facilitate your abilities to draw upon that energy. You were not always aware of what you could do, so I gave you all a small nudge when necessary. However, I could not, nor would I, change the outcome. A grave error in judgement would have drastic consequences, and it was not my place to circumvent that."

Derek seemed to be milling this over in his head, while Sandor said, "So if we charged into a battle that we simply could not win, you would not step in and change that."

"That is correct. I based my assistance on your worthiness. This is why I kept my participation secret – if you knew about my presence, you would become complacent, and that would change things irreparably."

Derek felt his anger flaring again. He had always thought that he was in charge of his own life, now he was hearing that someone else was pulling the strings. Celaeno seemed to sense this.

"Derek Wildstar, I ask that you reserve judgement for now. Do you remember when you faced Zordar?"

"How could I forget? We almost lost that war, except..." He paused. "Except for Trelaina."

"Do you remember what you did before making the decision to sacrifice yourself and your ship?"

Nova looked on the verge of tears. She remembered it quite vividly. She had sent away the last of the medical shuttles, then made her way back to the bridge to find Derek talking to the plaque of Captain Avatar.

"I... well, I... I consulted with Captain Avatar." It sounded silly, as if he had said, "I spoke with someone who died months before."

"Yes. And Captain Avatar heard you."

"His ghost was there?" Derek asked.

"No, not what you would call a ghost. More like an echo. When someone passes from life to death, they sometimes leave an echo of themselves behind. The strength of this echo depends on the person. I kept him clinging to life until he could receive proper care, but he came so close to death that his echo became imprinted on me. When you called upon him for assistance, I helped you to open your mind to the possibilities. In essence, you were speaking to him through me."

"Why keep him alive? He must have known that he was sick," Nova asked.

"It was not yet his time." Celaeno looked at Melinda, as if seeking permission to continue.

Melinda instead said, "Remember that the Gamilas war was affected by our intervention. After hearing my explanations, I am sure you have asked yourself many times what right we had to step in. We, too, answer to a higher power, and we too have a set of rules governing our actions. We, and by that I mean collectively all seven of us, have broken rules many times. Apologizing for it is not enough; we have to make amends somehow. In this particular case, we decided to keep your captain alive. Had it not been for our involvement, he may not have died in the first place."

"You don't know that, though, do you?" Derek flared up. "You can't see the future."

"No, no one can truly see what has not yet transpired. However, we see much, and can often make predictions based on past events. Everything we saw leading up to your battle with Gamilas, and events that transpired during the war, led us to certain conclusions. We saw great potential in your Captain Avatar, and decided to keep him alive because we knew – no, knew is the wrong word. We were certain that he would be needed once again."

"So you spared his life, only so he could die again?" Nova asked.

"Yes, and no." Celaeno said. Derek was starting to tire of that answer. "He could accept his death, but was not yet ready for it. When he made the decision to stay on board to destroy your ship, he was fully prepared for his death. He knew there was no other way, and willingly accepted his fate. I could not act directly counter to his wishes, nor would I want to in such a case. Just as there is power in life, there is power in death."

"You sound as if the energy released wouldn't have been as powerful, had someone else stayed on board," Derek said.

"I know your words come in anger, Derek Wildstar, but they contain wisdom. Such is the path to enlightenment." Celaeno smiled at him, seemingly unaffected by his challenge.

Derek deflated. "I don't understand."

"You are not yet ready to," Melinda answered. "Our meeting comes much too early in your development. In years to come, past actions will become more clear, and make more sense. At that time, you may be ready to take the next step in your evolution. For now, however," she said, then stopped as if someone was whispering in her ear. "That is all I can say."

Derek shrugged. He knew it was pointless to argue. He still had many questions, but somehow he knew he would not get answers to them. "So now what?" Derek asked instead.

"That is up to you," Celaeno answered. "First you must decide whether I am to stay among you."

"We have a choice?" Derek asked. "All this time I have been hearing about all the things going on without our knowledge or permission."

"You always have a choice, even if you are not aware of it. If anything, I was the one without a choice – even if I had wanted to leave your ship after the Aquarian incident, I could not. Still, I did not have to assist you."

"You've been helping us on this trip? Why am I not surprised?" Derek said.

"Your new navigator needed a bit of help."

"Maria had help from you?" Derek was starting to get angry again.

"Not me, no. I did make it possible for another to assist."

Derek said immediately, "Venture." Nova looked at him oddly. "Mark's been helping her."

"Only during the first battle. His echo had been left behind as well, and I made it easier for him to help your Maria Santiago to get more comfortable. A great responsibility was thrust upon her, one she may have thought she was ready for, but in truth was not. She was very nervous, almost to a point of paralysis, when she took your ship out of its icy tomb. She needed a bit of guidance to get her started, and Mark Venture was happy to do so. It was his decision."

"And on his way out, he stopped in to see me." Derek, still angry, laughed at this. He didn't know why it was funny, but it was.

"Yes, that was his wish. Under normal circumstances, a human who had passed from life would not have the ability to visit the living, but I again acted as a conduit."

"Where is he now? Still on the ship?" Nova asked.

"His echo remains on your ship, available to be drawn upon should he wish it, but what you would call his spirit is bound to Electra now. It was their choice, and she will not leave him."

"I feel a lot better knowing that," Derek said. "I had wondered many times if he was happy."

Melinda and Celaeno said nothing. Derek hasn't expected them to answer.

"As captain of the ship," Derek began, "normally it would be solely my decision as to crew assignments. However, Celaeno is more than just crew. She's a part of the ship, and as such affects everything that goes on with and within it. Therefore, I would like time to consider this."

Celaeno looked disappointed, but she nodded. She looked at Melinda, who also nodded. "We are in agreement," Melinda said. "It is your ship, and more importantly, your destiny. It should ultimately be your choice."

_That would be a first_, Derek thought, not caring whether or not Melinda could hear it.

"May I suggest we meet again tomorrow?" Melinda said. "Simply come to the dock when you are ready, and we will send someone for you."

Celaeno had a pained look on her face. "And, in the meantime?"

"Go spend time with your sisters," Derek said.

Celaeno seemed to flash two emotions at once – joy at being with her own once again, and sadness at being separated from the ship that had been a part of her for 10 years. She shimmered, then faded completely.

"Is she...?" Nova looked around the room.

"I don't know," Derek said. "It feels colder in here all of a sudden though."

"She is one with us again," Melinda said. She bowed, then turned to leave.

Nova followed. "Derek, I am going to escort Melinda back to the dock." Derek nodded, and watched them leave.

He turned to Sandor, who had been very quiet during most of the conversation. "I would, of course, like a scientific opinion on all this," Derek said.

"Even science leaves room for the improbable, Wildstar, and you've got to admit," Sandor said with a laugh, "this is all pretty improbable. We've been around the galaxy enough times to accept the notion that anything is possible. Today, we learned a small piece of the puzzle that explains how such things are possible."

"I am not quite comfortable with the idea that there's a higher power running the show," Derek said. They were leaving the engine room and heading towards the elevator leading to the mess hall. Neither had said it, but they both needed coffee.

"Derek, many of Earth's religions, past and present, are based on the belief that some higher power is in charge. Whether that power actually controls events, or just influences them, that power is said to exist. What we met today very well might be the basis of many religions, not the least of which would be the Ancient Greeks and their worship of the gods of Mount Olympus."

Derek mused on this. Religion or not, such beliefs did carry weight in society. After all, Captain Avatar had chosen to call the ship _Argo _after its rebirth, referring to the old story of a quest for a golden fleece. Many wars were fought over religious ideals, and it was faith in gods and destiny that drove Emperor Lugarl to send Aquarius to Earth. Who was he, as a mortal being, to question faith? But was what he met today worthy of such faith? They were, after all, certainly not infallible. They had made mistakes, and freely admitted to them. Was such a collection of beings worthy of worship, as many people had done over the ages? Were there more like them? Melinda did say several times that they answered to an even higher power, meaning there were beings yet above them, and quite possibly others roaming around the galaxy. Were these beings more restrained than the Sisters? Less?

By the time he realized that all this was making his head hurt, they had reached the mess hall. It was filled with people, not all of them eating, but most of them probably had nothing to do at the moment. _So much for a quiet place to think._

"Nova, there is something I would like to say to you." Nova and Melinda were at the end of the ramp, when suddenly Melinda had turned.

"Yes?"

"You seem more open to what we have told you. More receptive." Nova nodded, but did not get the chance to respond. "This inner sight will serve you well."

"What... what are you saying?" Nova was suddenly apprehensive.

"Simply this: You have an ability to see beyond people. Beyond what others see." When she noticed how much Nova was shaking, she smiled and said, "No, I do not mean that you have other-wordly powers. Celaeno did not grant you any inhuman abilities. You have always had this about you. Many people call it intuition, but in you it goes beyond that. You have an innate understanding about you, and it allows you to see more than what you see. For proof of this, merely think back to your last encounter with Desslok."

Nova pictured it clearly in her mind. Holding a pistol, aimed at Desslok, and yet she did not fire. She could not fire. She was more concerned with Derek, and so she dropped the pistol and tended to him. Desslok easily could have killed them both, yet she took the chance – no, she KNEW – that he would not. She saw honor in him, despite the atrocities he had caused. She had to make a snap decision, and she made it without even being conscious of why. She had spared Desslok's life, even though at first glance he did not deserve such mercy. Was it simply not within her to kill another? Or did she see more in Desslok than she had seen? She shook her head, knowing if she dwelled on this too long she may start to second guess everything else she had done since that point in time.

Melinda smiled, as if knowing Nova's mental struggle. "Again, allow me to extend our blessing upon your daughter." She raised a finger to stop the question before it was asked, "Worry not. There is nothing at all unusual about her. She will be a perfectly healthy and strong girl, just as her mother has always been."

"I thought you couldn't see the future," Nova said weakly.

"I cannot. I can, however, see the past and the present, and form conclusions. I can see into people and see more of them than they themselves can. I see a great strength and insight in you, Nova. This will be passed on to your daughter, I am sure of it. Now," she turned towards the great glass stair. "I must go. Your Derek has much to think about. I ask that you help him understand."

"You mean help him decide in your favor," Nova said.

"No, of course not. Only he can know the correct decision. However, he will rely on your opinions. He needs you, now more than ever. Besides, there is no 'your' or 'our' favor here. Everyone stands to benefit. You need only realize and accept that. We have always been here, the only change is that you are now aware of it. Do not let this sway your thinking. After all, man was always aware of gravity, even though he did not understand it or have a name for it. We are as such – neither for nor against, and always present despite understanding. We simply are." With that, she made her way to the stair, ascended it, and was gone.


	9. 9 Gods and Demons

**Commodore Derek Wildstar's quarters – 2330 hours**

Derek was mulling over several conversations at once. Everything they had learned of the Sisters and their involvement with history, compared to what Sandor had said in the mess hall. Sandor, scientist that he was, was still able to keep an open mind when it came to things he did not understand. Many of his colleagues would flat out deny that some things in the universe did not have a mathematical equation to explain them. Science had to explain everything. It had to be the answer. Yet as he went over his past as it related to the _Yamato, _it left more questions than answers.

Gamilon had superior technology, but Iscandar's science defeated it. How did that science get to Earth? Looking beyond the wave motion engine that carried them there, who had sent the message?

The Gatlantean Battle Comet was vastly superior to anything the Earth had seen, yet what defeated it? Initially, brave – or perhaps foolhardy – men who were willing to run in and plant bombs on the energy reactor. That was not enough however – Zordar countered with more technology in the form of a battlecruiser firing on the Earth. If Treleina had not stepped in, the Earth would be lifeless and Zordar would have moved on to attack other worlds. Trelaina's power was not borne of science, he knew that for certain. When they had first encountered her on Telezart, she was an oddity, but now... well, she was an even bigger oddity now.

The Black Nebula Empire was a race of androids, obviously well beyond Earth science. The bomb they sent was far more advanced than anything the Earth would even dream of. Sasha had gone along on that mission to Dezarium, but as they already suspected, she was more than just a young girl. Once again, supernatural powers were at work, both in Sasha and the ship itself.

He already knew what had happened to drive Aquarius away. Calaeno told him. Of course this could all be an elaborate hoax – it had been done before. Yet, it seemed to make too much sense. There was too much wrong with the fake future Earth once they stopped to think about it, but this... this surprisingly made sense if one was willing to open up their mind to other possibilities.

_Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic._ A 20th century author had once posed this as a "fact." Science might be able to explain the Seven Sisters, Sandor posited, however Earth science was not advanced enough to understand it. 10 years ago, Derek might have agreed, but everything he had seen since his first trip into space made him doubt everything he knew, or thought he knew. Perhaps there were things in the universe not bound, or explainable, by science.

"Derek?" Nova was lying next to him.

"Did I wake you?" He turned to look at her.

"I wasn't really sleeping, but you were mumbling."

"Oh. Sorry."

"I understand. We have a lot to digest." She sat up and looked out the window at the darkness. Surrounded by a black cloud, it was odd that there was a day and night, but after everything they heard today, this was the least difficult to understand and accept.

"Everything we thought we knew has come into question," he said. "Everything."

"You've joined the ranks of Copernicus and Galileo," she said, "suddenly presented with the idea that we are not the center of the universe."

"All this time, we thought we were in control of our own lives. Our own destinies. Now there's a bunch of women telling me that everything I know is wrong. In one way or another, everything has been under their thumbs."

"Derek, Melinda said that they are not out to control anything. They are offering guidance, sure, but isn't that what a mentor or a teacher does for students? Offers guidance?"

"I suppose." Derek spun this around in his thoughts as Nova continued.

"In some ways, is that not what a god represents?"

"But," Derek sputtered, "they are not gods! They are nothing but troublesome beings with more power than they have a right to!"

"They represent a great power in the cosmos, one we were not previously aware of. Many people would call that a god of some form. There are legends surrounding their existence. Who is to say that many of Earth's god figures are not based on some real-world event? Maybe there was a big guy offering enlightenment. Maybe they did nail some guy to a tree for his beliefs, and somehow he came back to life. The point is, we don't know, nor will we. The ancient people of Earth accepted these seven women as higher beings, and even today we can see that they are. Hundreds of years ago, people were far more accepting of gods. They based their everyday lives on the will of their god. Wars were fought and people died over differences in their beliefs." She raise her hands as if preaching. "Then science came along and said, 'Ignore all those old gods, for science shall show you the way! Technology can solve everything! You have no need for gods! Who needs faith when you have the Internet?'" She lowered her arms and laid back down, staring at the ceiling. "And so, people gradually gave up on faith. Faith became theory, which became proof, which became the new gospel. Eventually, technology became a god in and of itself. We were both raised to rely on technology having all the answers. Now suddenly we are faced with something that technology CAN'T explain, and we're having trouble accepting it."

Derek snorted.

"Derek, when we met Starsha, we accepted her gift at face value. Why?" When Derek offered no answer, she continued. "Because we didn't know any better? Or because it benefited us?"

"Perhaps a bit of both. We needed the help, and Iscandar had it. I did have my doubts, and it didn't help when we found out that Iscandar and Gamilon were right next to each other."

"Yet in the end, we blindly, maybe even a bit selfishly, accepted that she was there to help us. How did we know? Our first contact with aliens was death and destruction. How did we know that she was on our side? Were we so desperate to save the Earth that we were willing to believe anyone not throwing planet bombs at us? We could have returned to Earth to find that their machine was just a false hope planted by Desslok to waste our time."

Derek said nothing, but had to admit that she had a point.

"And Trelaina, why did we accept her help? Because she had power? Because she seemed benevolent and harmless to us? Because she represented the beautiful damsel in distress? Would you have been as open to her information had you known what she really was? When she told you that she could not go to Earth with us and had to stay behind on Telezart, did you question her motives? It never occurred to you that she was a prisoner there, again because she represented help to us. You couldn't see past the benefit. Anyone with power that is willing to help us, in your mind, can't be bad. Now, today you learned the truth about her. Had you known it then, would you have been so trusting?"

"I wonder if Mark knew," Derek mused.

"It's possible, but he never talked about it," Nova said.

"He may have tried to convince her to use her power to help us, but she refused. That whole non-involvement thing again."

"But in the end, she did help us," Nova pointed out. "She saved us."

"The ends cannot justify the means," Derek said quietly. "Just because they have power doesn't give them the right to interfere with other peoples' lives."

"I think they admitted to that much. They dipped their hands into still waters, and it created a ripple effect. Now they have to go back and control those ripples."

"Some of those ripples turned into rather large waves," Derek pointed out. "A simple error in judgement has turned into one of the bloodiest wars yet, and it's far from over."

"They want to help, Derek, despite their rules saying that they can't. You accuse them of interfering, and they do not deny that. Now they want to make reparations, and this time they need our help to do so. Their rules prevent them from stepping in, but they are apparently allowed to offer us guidance."

"And once again we clean up their mess." Derek got out of bed and started pacing. "They have a twisted set of rules. Seems they can interfere when it suits them, but when we could really use the help, suddenly they aren't able to get involved. Awfully convenient for them."

"What caused the destruction of the Twin Nebula?" Nova asked.

Derek almost tripped over his own feet at the sudden change of subject. "The destruction of Dezarium," he replied flatly.

"And what caused that?"

Derek glared at her, barely visible in the dim light. "You know damn well how it happened!" he said.

She sat up and looked back at him. She couldn't see his expression, but she knew he was not happy with her right now. "I want you to face this, Derek. How did it happen?"

He could say nothing for a minute or two. He would pace back and forth a few times, then stop and stare out the domed window. Nova was about to ask again, when finally he choked, "I destroyed the Crystalline City with the Wave Motion Gun. The tachyon energy reacted with their planet's beta-particle energy, destroying the planet and the surrounding nebula." He sounded like he was reciting from the official records.

"What made you decide to do that?" Nova asked calmly. She knew it hurt for him to revisit this, but he had to do it. He was never going to get over the past unless he faced it head on.

"They were going to destroy the Earth," he said.

"Their hyperon bomb had been rendered useless by that point."

"But they could have sent another one. They could have reactivated the one on Earth. They... they..." She could tell, he was fishing for excuses. "They had to be stopped. They had to understand that we were free, and we were willing to fight to stay free."

Nova waited a moment to let him reflect on that, then asked, "Were you thinking of everyone on Earth? Or perhaps someone not on Earth?"

Derek hesitated again, and Nova knew he was thinking it. Finally he was able to say it. "Their ruler killed Sasha."

"Sasha was very important to you."

"I swore to protect her!" Derek shouted. "Once I found out who she really was, I felt honor-bound to keep her safe. She represented all I had left of my family."

"And Scaldart stole that from you."

"Yes!"

"So, you wanted revenge."

"No! I mean..." Derek's voice was cracking.

"You saw her die, and wanted revenge. Derek, you fired the wave gun in the heat of anger. It wouldn't be the first time someone did something out of rage. Or out of love."

Derek sounded like he was crying, but she could not see his face. Finally he said softly, "I failed her."

"You did no such thing. She knew what she had to do, and there wasn't anything you could do to change that. She made her choice. Knowing what you know now, you should be able to accept that. She wanted to die. She HAD to die in order to be complete, but she didn't want her death to be meaningless. She gave her life so that you could live on. She gave her life because she loved you."

Derek was definitely crying now. He couldn't form words, so Nova continued.

"Starsha, loving your brother. Trelaina, loving Mark. Desslok, loving Starsha. You, loving me. A great many decisions have been made over love. People do irrational things, even give their lives, all in the name of love. They say that love is the first, last and most powerful energy in the universe, and I think we have witnessed that firsthand. Love was one of the things that separated us from the Black Nebulan people. They gave their entire lives over to technology, and with that, lost their... well... humanity." Derek still said nothing. "Derek, I know it sounds cliché, but you're only human."

Derek was shaking his head, finally able to speak. "Did Melinda put you up to this?"

"She asked me to help keep your mind open to possibilities."

He turned to look at her. "If I didn't know any better..."

"Don't worry, it's really me talking." She flashed an evil grin and added, "Don't make me drag you back into this bed to prove it." She wished she could see the look on his face at that moment. "Derek, they can't make decisions for you. No one can make you do something you don't truly want to do. They can guide, they can lead, but ultimately, it's your choice."

"Sometimes there is no choice in the matter," Derek said, flopping down onto a chair. He had grown tired of pacing.

"Many times when we tell ourselves that there is no choice, what we really mean is that we don't like the choices presented."

"The lesser of two evils?" Derek said.

"At times. When you fired on Dezarium, you DID have a choice. Fire, and end it right then and there, or leave and hope that they would accept defeat. Imagine for a moment that you hadn't fired. Scaldart pressed the button and nothing at all happened. We dismantled the hyperon bomb, and he realized he could not beat us. What do you think he would have done?"

Derek thought a few seconds, then replied, "He would have closed the entrance gate, but we probably could have gotten through it somehow. In the long run though... they would still have the same problem. They needed bodies." He winced at just how gruesome that sounded.

"Right, so where would he have gone?"

"I don't know. He could always come back and try again."

"Perhaps, or he might have accepted that Earth was too strong. He might have gone on to attack another world."

Derek looked up at the sky. "I don't think I could have lived with that, looking up into the stars and wondering whether he taking out his anger and frustration on someone else."

"So, you did the right thing," Nova said.

"Did I?" He shook his head. "Did I do what was best for everyone?"

"That's a lot of people, Derek. You can't protect the entire universe. You may have acted irrationally, but ultimately it was the right decision."

"Do you really believe that?" Derek asked without looking at her.

"I have to. If I spend my life going over everything I did and ask 'what if,' I'll lose what's left of my sanity. I have to accept that I made the right choice, given the circumstances." She swallowed hard, then added, "Like with Alphon."

Derek looked at her, as if to say, "Don't," but she did not see him.

"I had no way of knowing whether or not you were alive. I had to act on what I knew. I was... willing to go through the humiliation. It would save lives, even if it meant the end of my own. Again, there was a choice, but both choices were unthinkable. Do what..." Her voice broke. She cleared her throat, then continued. "Do what Alphon wanted and perhaps help us win the war, or let them continue to kill everyone. Ultimately my decision mattered little, but to me, at that point in time, it was an impassible crossroad. I had to go one way or the other, and I had to act on limited knowledge." She shook herself out of her memories and looked back up at Derek. "What we are being offered here is knowledge. We can continue to be guided, whether we know it or not. Whether we choose to accept it or not. They are offering a powerful gift."

Derek sat in the darkness, and a long time passed.

"Derek, you can't keep asking yourself 'what if'. We, as mortals, are limited in what we can do. Even the Sisters can't be everywhere at once. Maybe we can help each other this time around."

"Sounds like you already have your mind made up."

"I am merely keeping my mind open." She patted the bed next to her. "Come on, you'll have a clearer head in the morning."

Derek returned to bed, not sure whether he'd sleep. So much was going through his head, and Nova had added even more to it.

**Space Battleship **_**Yamato**_**, Mess Hall – 0830 hours**

For the third time that morning, someone had told Derek that he looked like hell, and for the third time he had smiled and said, "thank you." He was still spinning things through his mind, but he didn't want to let on what he was thinking about. He didn't like hiding things from his crew, but in this case the less they knew the better. Eventually he would have to tell them something – he was sure people would ask what he had been doing on the planet yesterday. Technically, the captain's business was his own, but still he owed it to them. He had served with some of them for ten years, and they deserved more than silence.

He was broken from his reverie by voices a few tables behind him. He looked up at Nova, who was already listening.

"I tell you, it just feels different," came one voice. Derek couldn't quite place who it was, and he didn't want to risk letting on that he heard by turning around to look.

"You're crazy." The second voice was unfamiliar. "It's probably because we're back in a planet's atmosphere. The ship just feels different now that we're letting in some fresh air. It'll go back to normal once we're in space."

"No, I'm telling you, this is different. It's as if, well, like suddenly all the life has been sucked out of the ship. It feels... well..."

"Hopeless?" This third voice belonged to their navigator.

"Yeah! Hopeless!" the first voice said, relieved that a name had been given to his pain.

"Ya know, I thought it was just me," Maria said. "I woke up this morning and had this feeling that, well, the SHIP had given up. I know this is only my first time serving on the _Yamato_, but I know the stories. I know that people feel that the ship has a life of its own. I didn't believe it until I set foot on the ship. I felt a presence, and, well, call me insane, but during our first battle, I... I felt... something. As if the ship was guiding my actions."

So she was aware of it. While she didn't know specifically WHO, she did know that someone was there with her.

"Right now, though, I don't think I could do it again. Whatever was here is gone now." Derek heard her footsteps coming up behind him, then walking past. She muttered a "good morning sir, ma'am" as she left the mess hall.

Derek and Nova looked at each other. Nothing needed to be said.

**The Crystal Atrium – 1415 hours**

Melinda was at the head of the table, with Sterope and Merope to her left side. Calaeno, who looked a bit more solid today then she had in the engine room, was seated to Melinda's right. On the other side of the table were Derek, Nova, and Sandor. There was no need to bring IQ-9 on this trip.

"You have come to a decision, Derek Wildstar?" Melinda asked.

"I have." He paused, looked back and forth at Nova and Sandor, who both nodded. "I spent most of the night thinking about what you said. Nova, Sandor, and IQ-9 are the only others who know of our conversation yesterday, and we have decided to keep it that way. As I said yesterday, not all of the crew can be counted on to accept what we now know. Everyone has their own set of beliefs, and I don't want to clash with those beliefs. I do, however, understand that people need faith. Faith in themselves, faith in others, faith in a deity, and," he took a breath, then continued, "faith in their ship. _Yamato _represents more than just a large metal shell to many people. To the Earth, it represents peace. It represents hope. It represents freedom. I cannot risk damaging that. Even knowing what I do, I am having difficulty coming to terms with everything you told us yesterday. However, I too need faith in something. I have decided to place my faith in my ship, knowing that she has never steered us wrong before. Whether this is due to some spirit inherent in the ship itself, or that of Calaeno, I am not the right person to debate it.

"I also overheard some of my crew this morning. In the mess hall, and all over the ship, people were talking, and one thing seems to underline many of the conversations: the ship feels different. There is a sense of despair among the crew. Some blame the cloud, or the planet we are on. Others say it is a sign that we have been defeated. Many fear that Earth has been occupied by the Pri'Tan, or even destroyed. They fear for the safety of their families. Still others want to remain here, to start a new life hidden away from the enemy. The end result is the same: my crew is giving up. The life has gone from the ship, and it happened after Calaeno left last night."

"Despite my lack of direct involvement, the feeling of a presence, an aura if you will," Calaeno said, "cannot be avoided. While the echoes of your former crew are still on your ship, you may not be able to feel them as strongly now."

"Whatever it was, it gave the crew some hope. We all believed that the spirits of the previous crew were watching over us, but now that feeling is gone. Ultimately, it will affect everyone's performance." He turned to Calaeno, and said, "As much as I do not want to appear selfish in taking you away from your sisters again, I invite you to return."

She smiled at Derek, and said, "Being with my sisters has given me new life. If it is okay with Maia, I would be happy to return." She looked to Melinda, who nodded approval. "Wonderful! I shall return to your ship with you."

"Thank you," Derek said, sounding relieved. "It's not that I like the idea of someone watching over my shoulder all the time, but the effect on the crew could be detrimental if you were not to return. I want things back the way they were. Captain Avatar was okay with the idea, and I would never question his wisdom."

"I shall offer whatever counsel you would ask of me," Calaeno said. "If you wish to keep it secret from the crew, I shall respect that."

Derek nodded to her, then continued. "Finally, there is the matter of your involvement." He paused a moment to think about what he wanted to say, fully aware that Melinda probably already knew what he was thinking. "Much of what has happened is due to your interference."

"Intervention," Melinda corrected.

"Interference," Derek stated firmly. "Therefore, I feel that you, whether one or all seven of you, should see this through. I understand that you have rules governing your actions, and I also know you have broken those rules many times. Making demands is pointless, so I will simply ask for any help you are able to give us. We set out to handle this on our own, and if that's how it has to be, then so be it. However, I think you owe us. Take it as an obligation, a debt, whatever you feel most comfortable with. You started this, it's only right that you help us end it. Preferably with as little bloodshed as possible."

"You are open to a peaceful solution?" Melinda asked.

"I am open to it, but I'd be kidding myself if I believed in one. The Pri'Tan are out for blood, and nothing but our extinction is going to satisfy them. Naturally I can't let that happen. At the very least, I have to make them see that we aren't just going to lie down and give up. They assert their right to exist, but we must make them realize that Earth also has that right."

"Knowing full well that they did not start this war," Sterope asked, "you still take the moral high ground?"

"You're correct, they did not start this war. You did." Derek looked her square in the eyes. "Everything points back to your meddling on Iscandar. Melinda said it yesterday – had you not killed off their entire population, there would have been no need for you to take the place of Starsha and Astra. We have no way of knowing whether or not my brother would have fallen in love with the real Starsha. For all we know, Alex would have returned to Earth with us, Sasha would never have been born, and the war against the Black Nebula Empire would have never happened. Alex would still be alive, and the Pri'Tan wouldn't care about us."

Sterope looked like Derek had slapped her. She opened her mouth to say something, but Melinda raised her hand.

"Enough." She looked at Sterope, who closed her mouth. Melinda then looked at Derek with no emotion visible on her face. Then, she smiled. "You cannot possibly make us feel more remorse than we already do. Sterope may take offense at your words, but I," she said, standing, "am above such things." She turned to leave, saying over her shoulder, "You will have our decision before you leave." Sterope stood and left without saying a word, quickly followed by Merope (who felt it necessary to stick her tongue out at Derek.)

"Well," Sandor said, laughing weakly, "that went well."

Calaeno stood and walked over to Derek. "Bravo. Not many men would stand up to Maia like that. I think you impressed her, although she will NEVER admit to it." She gestured towards the stair and said, "I am ready to return."

As they approached the ship, Calaeno appeared to glow. She stopped before the gangplank and looked longingly at the _Yamato_. "Derek," she said softly. "Derek, thank you."

Before Derek could respond, Calaeno faded, then disappeared. He looked at Nova, who shrugged, then started to walk up the ramp. Derek and Sandor followed until they reached the entrance. They stopped, realizing that the familiar feeling was back. _Yamato_ felt whole again. With a smile, Derek made his way to the elevator.

"What now?" Nova asked him.

"Now," he said as the elevator door closed, "I have a call to make."


	10. 10 A Captive Audience

"Do I understand you correctly? You are asking me to fight your war for you? You do realize we're fighting a war of our own here."

"I understand, but we're fighting the same enemy. We're fighting the same war."

"And because of what my brother did to your planet, you expect me to risk my own planet's safety – the safety of my entire empire - by cutting what's left of our defense fleet in half."

"Not at all, Emperor Dorzal. I hold no ill will against you for what Zordar did." In truth, Derek did feel that Gatlantis somehow owed the Earth something, but you don't say such things when dealing with royalty, especially when you were asking for help.

"What about your government? What's their opinion on this?"

"My government doesn't even know we have made contact with you. We are too far away to speak to Earth. I am lucky we were able to get a signal to Gatlantis, given that I have no idea exactly where we are."

"I see. I would hate to think you're trying to set up an ambush as some sort of revenge ploy."

"Earth barely has the ability to defend itself against the Pri'Tan right now, let alone stage an offensive against your world." _Right, appeal to his ego._

"The – what did you call them? Preetan?"

"Pri'Tan. With an 'i' and..."

"Yes. Over the past year or so, they have let up on their attacks, but we believe it's because they are regrouping for a final strike. Sending Battlecruisers to Earth would cut down on our own defense, and they would surely take advantage of that."

"We believe their attacks on Gatlantis have decreased because they are focused on Earth right now. Their own forces are split. I think defeating them at Earth will make the remaining ships easier to take out."

Dorzal closed his eyes in thought, then said, "I'm sorry, but I just can't risk it. I wish you luck." With that, the viewscreen went blank.

"Damn." Wildstar stood up, then reached back and hit another button on his com panel. "Bridge, this is Wildstar."

"Yes sir?" Eager answered.

"I want a meeting with the bridge crew in one hour. Tactical Room." He turned the com off without waiting for a response. "Damn," he said again, walking to the domed window. It was getting dark outside, and he knew they had to leave soon. They were still far from home, and he still had no way to get them back in a hurry. Then he had an idea. At first, he felt foolish, and wasn't even sure it would work, but he had nothing else to lose at the moment. He sat down, closed his eyes, and focused. _I humbly request your counsel._

An hour later Sandor, Nova, Dash, Maria, Eager, Kitano, Orion, and Homer were standing around the large display panel embedded in the floor of the tactical planning room. Normally, there would be a schematic, or a map, or a battle plan on the display, but today Derek had nothing to put there.

"I'm going to lay it out straight," Derek began. "We're lost. We're up against an enemy that easily overpowers us. The people on this planet have offered to help us, but the nature of that help has not yet been determined."

"What exactly does that mean, Wildstar?" Homer asked. "You've been pretty hush-hush about what you found here."

"Yes, and for good reason. They value their privacy, but have had some dealings with Earth in the past. They are willing to help us, but have limitations regarding their involvement. The exact kind of help they can offer is still under discussion." Not technically a lie, but not enough truth to cause problems. "They have, well, certain abilities that could help us, but they are hesitant to use them. It has something to do with cosmic balance." That answer would have to do for now. "So now, our main concern is getting home. We didn't do so well inside the Delta Tunnel the first time, but I think we've cut enough distance thanks to Razon's help that we might be able to try it again. Orion, how's the engine?"

"Fully charged, and ready to go at your command."

"No problems since jump-starting it with the _Brachtu's_ reactor?"

"None, in fact it seems to be running at a higher efficiency now. I've checked the numbers several times, but I have no explanation for it. Simply put, it is running better than it was before we got here." On any other ship, this would be cause for concern, but Tim Orion had been on the _Yamato_ long enough to know that sometimes you didn't question such things.

"Excellent," Derek said, knowing the answer to the question but not able to share it. "Nova, plot a course back to the Delta Tunnel. There should be data on it in the nav computer now. Maria, I want to be underway in two hours." Both women nodded. "Dismissed."

When they had left the room, Derek looked up and said, "Tell Maia we're leaving." There was no reply. None was needed. He then picked up a microphone and keyed it. "Attention all hands, this is the captain speaking. At 2100 hours tonight, we will be departing for Earth. I want all stations checked thoroughly and manned for space travel. Be ready for anything. That is all." He sighed as he put the mic back in its holder, wishing that truly was all.

**Bridge, 1945 hours**

"Engine is at 90%, sir." Maria was going down the last of her checklist. "I promise the take-off will be better than the landing," she added sheepishly.

"It's okay, I have my water skis ready this time," Kitano said.

"Quiet over there or I'll stick those skis -"

"Very good, Maria, we all have the utmost confidence," Derek said, cutting her off mid-insult.

"Actually," Kitano began, but Maria raised a finger at him and glared. Kitano shrugged and went back to his own checklist.

Derek suddenly felt like something was pulling at him. He needed to go to his quarters, but he didn't know why. "I'll be back in a few minutes," he said, ascending the lift to his quarters.

Maria looked around the bridge, then said, "Anyone else have to go before we leave? It's a long trip."

Derek rose from his chair to find Melinda at the window. Not exactly standing in front of it; more like she was projected onto it.

"Derek Wildstar. When the time comes, we will be there to help you. We have foreseen when that moment will be. Do not call upon us before that time." Before Derek could respond, the image was gone. Then the words, "our blessings go with you" echoed in his head.

"Bullshit," he mumbled. "She has no idea what's going to happen." He shook his head as the chair descended back to the bridge. For a brief moment, he thought he heard a woman giggling.

"And, launch!" Maria jerked back on the lever that connected the main engine circuit, lifting the ship out of the water and back towards space. After Derek had told the bridge crew that it was time to go, Maria has taken the ship to open waters for a clear take-off. True to her word, the lift-off was much smoother than their splash-down the previous day.

"_Yamato_ is in space, sir." Maria hit the switch retracting the wings, then reached for the throttle – and then stopped. "Uh -"

"Yeah, I see it too." Kitano pointed out the window.

"Massive fleet just appeared on radar!" Eager shouted. "Hundreds of ships!"

"They were waiting for us!" Derek stood and grit his teeth. "Damn them."

"Could this have been the idea all along?" Kitano asked. "Lure us to the relative safety of this planet, and then..."

"No," Derek cut him off. "This is not their doing." He didn't know why he knew it, he just did. Dash was already on the horn declaring battle conditions, and the red alert alarm started. "Maria, can we warp away from them?"

"I can try. Maybe if we get on the other side of the planet so they can't shoot at us." She turned the ship hard to starboard, then said, "Whoa, wait a minute! The planet's not there!"

"What?" Sandor looked as well, and Nova confirmed on her radar.

"The planet is gone!" Nova said.

"Where did it go? How the hell does a planet just -" Maria was staring out the window, as if waiting for the planet to reappear.

"Right now that's the least of our worries," Derek said. "Get us out of here."

"Yes sir!" The ship was now facing away from the fleet, and Derek could hear the engine building up for a warp. "Is it safe to use the coordinates for the Tunnel as a warp destination?"

"Should be, let me -" Nova was cut off by an explosion that shook the ship violently. Dozens of small craft flew past the ship, then spun around for another run.

Orion's voice came over the loudspeaker. "Wildstar, they hit the main engine! I have to shut it down before -" Another explosion interrupted him, and the com channel went dead.

Derek punched a button on his com, shouting "Black Tigers! Get out there and defend the ship!" Then he looked over at Kitano and Dash. "Return fire. With any luck, Orion can get the engine going again."

The Pri'Tan fleet was moving forward to surround the _Yamato._ The main guns fired, followed by swearing by Dash as the cannons proved ineffective. Derek sat down and put his head in his hands. _We didn't come this far to be defeated. Not here. Not today._

He stood suddenly. "Eager, find the largest ship in the fleet." It had worked before.

"Port side, just out of our range. Surrounded by dozens of smaller ships."

"What about the wave motion gun?" Derek asked.

Kitano replied, "Well within wave gun range, but those fighters will chew us up and spit us out before we can even aim."

"I don't think so." Derek looked over at Sandor. "Be ready to activate the reflective shielding."

"I haven't had a lot of time to work on it, Wildstar. I can't guarantee -"

"It will work. Trust me."

Sandor seemed to understand, then went about preparing the shield generators.

"Maria, evasive maneuvers. Make it look like we're trying to get away, but I want us aimed at that flagship. Kitano, begin charging the wave gun."

"Yes sir!" The ship shifted suddenly to port and spun around to narrowly avoid a set of ships that appeared to be linking together. She dove down underneath a small group of ships, then bucked upwards, almost hitting a large carrier.

"Did I mention, keep us in one piece?" Derek asked, hanging onto his console.

"Oh, sure, make my job that much harder," Maria said, jerking the sticks back and then forward.

Derek had called Venture a 'space cowboy' many times for his reckless flying, but compared to Maria, Mark was a little old lady driving to church on Sunday.

"Shields are ready, Wildstar," Sandor said. He tried to sound confident, but it just didn't come off that way.

"Activate it."

Sandor threw the switch, and the ship was enveloped in a white glowing shield. "Shield is active."

"Pray that it holds. Maria, get us lined up. Wave gun status?"

"95%." Kitano hit the switch that raised the target scope and firing trigger. "Ready to fire in 30 seconds."

Dash was shouting into a microphone, "Black Tigers, _Yamato_ is going to fire. Get out of the way!" With any luck, this was not too obvious a move.

"Firing in 5... 4..."

Derek looked out the window. The shield was reflecting energy beams back at the attackers, damaging or destroying them. The flagship was sitting in the distance, hopefully unsuspecting of what was about to happen.

"2... 1..."

Derek was knocked off his feet as the ship lurched to the left. He could hear Maria screaming and Kitano swearing as he dragged himself to his feet. Outside, everything was moving too fast to figure out what was going on. The crew was struggling to get back to their consoles, then the ship stopped with a loud crash and everyone was thrown to the left. Derek felt a sharp pain, then...

The room was dim, and he smelled smoke. He opened his eyes to see the ceiling of the bridge clouded in a haze. Lights were flickering, but other than a weak alarm the ship was silent. He rolled to his side to get up, feeling a stabbing pain in his leg. His head was screaming at him, and he tasted blood. Lifting his head, he surveyed the damage.

The main viewer was smashed. There was a large hole in the main bridge window, but the protective panels had closed to seal the breach. Several consoles were on fire, and his bridge crew was scattered around the floor, some obviously bleeding. Homer's leg was bent in a position the human leg was not designed to take. Dash was hanging from his chair, glasses askew and broken. Kitano was nowhere to be seen.

Derek's thoughts went to his wife, whom he couldn't see. As he struggled to crawl to Nova's station, he felt a sharp pain in his side. He turned his head to the right and saw a large greenish figure standing over him. The new pain he felt had come from the tip of a long spear.

The figure chattered. When Derek didn't respond, the figure chattered again, louder, and accented it with the spear. Finally the figure sounded out a word Derek could understand. "Move."

Derek was allowed to sit up. When he tried to stand, he felt the pain in his leg again. Looking down, he saw that there was glass sticking out of his thigh. He reached down to remove it, but was shoved forward, causing him to fall again. Now he was able to see the other side of the bridge – a Pri'Tan boarding party. Some were dragging Sandor and Eager towards the back of the bridge, while another was heading for Maria, who was conscious and trying to get away from its grasp. Then he heard a shriek. Turning his attention towards the sudden commotion, he saw Nova, bleeding from one arm yet still trying to defend herself. She had apparently landed a kick to one of the Pri'Tan, who was chattering to his comrades. Another one came up behind Nova and swung one of its arms at her head, knocking her to the floor. Derek tried to go to her, but he was smacked across the face with a spear. He looked over to Nova and screamed "NO!" as one of the warriors raised an arm, pointing its arm-blade right at Nova's face. The blade dropped, and Derek closed his eyes as he heard a loud "thunk" followed by a blood curdling scream.

There was much loud chattering, then a voice rose above them. "She will not be killed!"

"How DARE -"

"She is a broodmother! You are not worthy to carry out her execution!"

Derek opened his eyes again. Nova was trying to slide away from her attacker, whose blade was stuck in the floor. A larger Pri'Tan was standing over him; this one had war paint on his midsection, which Derek took to mean that he was in charge. The painted one had knocked the blade away from Nova, and was pointing his own arm-blade at the head of Nova's attacker. "See for yourself," he hissed.

The attacker pulled his blade from the floor, then approached Nova. Where his movements earlier had been threatening, now he seemed almost reverent. He flicked his antenna towards her, then closed his eyes. Turning to his superior, he bowed and said, "You are correct. I am... ashamed." He hung his head as he walked to the back of the bridge to see to the others.

The one with the war paint looked down upon Nova, then grabbed her arm and dragged her to her feet. "Do not mistake this for mercy, human. You will be punished for your defiance, but our traditions dictate that your death will not come from one so insignificant." He tossed her body to another, who caught her and dragged her towards the elevator.

Derek felt the spear stabbing into his shoulder blade. The one behind him grunted, so Derek limped towards the back of the bridge. His crew was being piled into the elevator, which descended as soon as he and his captor got into it. Nova looked up at him; her face was bloody and she was clutching her arm. Derek reached down to cup her cheek, but his arm was slapped away.

The elevator stopped and they were all herded down the corridor. They were pushed or dragged towards a large hole in the wall, where a docking tube had been placed. Several carts were loaded up with the wounded and incapacitated, while the ones who could walk were shoved into a large box resembling a shipping crate. When they were tossed in, the box was closed and shortly began to move.

"I haven't been through anything like this since the academy," came a weak voice.

"Kitano? Is that you?" Derek couldn't see a thing.

"I think so. Hey! Watch where you're -"

"Yeah, it's him." Maria's weak voice was heard from a bit farther away.

"Okay, who else is here?" Derek asked.

A loud hiccup could be heard, followed by the smell of alcohol and incoherent mumbling.

"Okay, Dr Sane is here..." Orion said, slurring slightly.

No one else spoke up.

"Nova?" Derek asked the darkness. She was either not here or was unconscious.

"Any idea what happened?" Kitano asked.

"We got our asses kicked," Maria mumbled.

"Something hit us right as we were about to fire. That's all I remember," Derek said. He reached for his leg and found the piece of glass sticking out. He pulled at it, grit his teeth, then breathed out sharply as it slid out.

"Sir?" Maria made a shuffling sound like she was trying to feel her way towards him.

"I'm okay, just doing a bit of field medicine." He pocketed the glass shard so no one else would hurt themselves with it.

"What did the big one mean by 'broodmother?'" Kitano asked.

"Nova's preggers," Maria said matter-of-factly.

"Wow. Congratulations, Wildstar. And, sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" Maria said. "She's not dead. They spared her."

"For now. Eventually we're all going to be killed. She just has the honor of being killed by someone higher up the command chain." He then added, "No disrespect intended, Wildstar."

Derek did not reply. This could not be the end. Everything they had fought for, this couldn't be it.

"You bring news, Lanis?"

"Yes, my King. The Destroyers and their ship have been captured. They are being brought here so you can watch their execution personally."

"Brought here?" King Ham-Sha'Peth looked down upon Lanis with disdain, but Lanis did not notice.

"I understand that one of them is with child. You may wish to end her life personally."

"You're leaving something out, Lanis. The last report I was given said that their ship was still floating around their planet in a chunk of ice. When did this change?"

"They somehow managed to rebuild their ship, and launched it towards our construction base."

"WHAT?" King Ham-Sha'Peth rose and slammed his staff against the floor. Sparks flew from the tip as the King screamed. "_Yamato_ lives?"

"Yes, my King. But it is of no-"

"DO NOT TELL ME what is of concern! The ship that destroyed our world! The very people who caused our race to be scattered across the galaxy! They were heading here, and you chose not to tell me?"

"I didn't think it was worth bothering you with -"

The King swung his staff, striking Lanis square across the face. Lanis was thrown back, but did not show his pain. He would not.

"It is not up to you what I should and should not know!" He stepped down from his throne and approached Lanis, raising his staff again. "Now, GO! Leave my sight! You will bring the Destroyers before me so I can deal with them myself!" Lanis scrambled to his feet and headed for the door. "Fail me again and it will be YOUR execution!"

"Enjoy your reign while it lasts, old fool," Lanis said to himself as he left the throne room.

The crew was dragged to a large storage area and sealed inside. Dr Sane and his nurses flitted about tending to the wounded as best as they could. Shirts and jackets were torn apart to make bandages, but without painkillers or disinfectants many people were still in bad shape. Nova had offered to help but was told to stay put. Her arm had been broken, and when word spread of her pregnancy everyone insisted that she should not be exerting herself. ("Not exactly the way I wanted to announce it," she kept saying.) Derek's leg had been bandaged, but his head was still throbbing. Most of the bridge crew had suffered bumps and bruises from the crash, which had finally been explained when the Black Tiger pilots were brought in. Right before Kitano could fire, a large ship resembling a beetle came out of a square portal in space. It extended large claws and rammed into the starboard side of the _Yamato, _pushing it into the waiting claws of a larger ship. The second ship used its claws to clamp down on the _Yamato_, then used a large energy burst to disable the shield and effectively cancel out the build-up of energy in the wave motion gun. Once the _Yamato_ had lost power, the Pri'Tan boarded the ship and took all hands prisoner.

"So now what?" Conroy asked.

"I don't know," Derek said with a deep sigh. He looked around the room, seeing only one small door, plus a larger door which was possibly used for loading the ship. "I doubt there is anything in here that could help us, or they wouldn't have put us in here."

"It's worth a look though," Conroy said standing up. "Come on guys, spread out and search the place."

Before anyone could move, a chattering came from above them. The chattering then changed to English, although spoken slowly. "It is no use," it said. "I have already checked."

Derek looked up to see a Pri'Tan lying on top of a large crate. Everyone had been so concerned with the welfare of the crew, no one had noticed him lying up there. "Who are you?" Derek asked.

The Pri'Tan looked like one of his arms had been torn off, and one antenna was missing. He struggled to sit up, and said, "I am of name Razil."

"Are you here to keep an eye on us?" Derek snorted.

Razil gave Derek an odd look, then said, "I am here because I defiled my superior."

Derek looked at Nova, whispering, "Defiled?" He looked back at Razil.

"I refused to follow orders," Razil explained.

"Oh, defied. Right." Derek shrugged.

"Yes, defied. I am sorry, I do not know your speak as well as some others."

"So they just happened to throw you in here with us?" Derek asked, not believing a word of it.

"I have been for many weeks. You are the first I have seen in a long time. At first, guards would come in and taunt me, wave food in my face and then taking it away. After a few days that got to be dull, so they stopped doing even that. Then you showed up. You are of no help to me, but at least I have someone to talk."

"What did you do to get beaten so badly?" Nova asked.

"My ship attacked your space station. I think the planet is 'Ploot.'"

"Pluto?" Derek offered.

"Yes, perhaps. After we attack, Earth ship showed up and sent smaller ship to rescue the hurt ones. I was told to fire on the ship, but I say no."

"So they imprisoned you," Nova said.

"Beaten and tossed in here to die. We are a ship of war. Take prisoners is not our way. No brig. This was best they could do. Why didn't they just toss me out airlock? Guards like to see me suffer."

Realization came over Nova. "That was my rescue shuttle. I guess I should thank you for not shooting at me."

Derek looked at her, then at Razil. "That was our ship at Pluto, rescuing Eager and his staff."

"I later heard talk that the ship was the one that destroyed our world."

"Sadly, it's the truth." There was no point in lying to the Pri'Tan. It wouldn't help either way.

"I see." Razil seemed to think on this, then spoke. "They tell me I was honored to be part of the attacking force. I felt no honor in firing on hurt. Not everyone believes that killing of your people is the answer. We lost our home, and many died, but killing you will not bring them back. We are people stuck in old beliefs. We were always taught that we the first race, the oldest. Then we explore other worlds, and learn that this false. We found worlds with records far longer than us. The Elders, however, would have none of this. Blasphemy. All who did not heed the word was put to death as hectics."

"Heretics," Nova said, but Razil did not acknowledge her. Instead he looked up at the ceiling.

"We are two – those who believe the words, and those who want new words. Many Elders died with our world, and we wished their teachings died with them. King is a puppet of the Elders, and he survives. He first allowed new words to be spoken, but now he is different. Changed." Razil shifted position and looked down at Derek. "Human, was the death of our world a willful act?"

"No, not at all," Derek replied. "We didn't even know of your world's existence when we fought the Black Nebula Empire."

Razil nodded. "There are many who believe. Believe that you deserve mercy. Our King is not one of them. He demands your heads as trophies. You will be dragged before him to die at his hands."

"And then what?" Derek asked. "Will he continue his campaign against Earth? Or will he leave?"

"I believe he will kill all your people to please the Elders."

A rumbling was felt, causing several crew members to look around. "We've gone to warp?" Derek asked.

"We return to the construction platform. Where our fleet is being assembled. Where the attack on your world will originate."

Derek looked down at the floor. They were being taken back to their own galaxy, yet it would do them no good if they were trapped in a cargo bay.

"Where the King's weapon is being built."

Derek almost didn't hear it. "What weapon? A ship?"

Razil looked like he was going to speak, then thought better of it.

"Razil, please. We need your help. Any information you can give us will help stop this war. People on both sides will stop dying."

He shook his head. "I have broken rules, but I am not traitor. Yes, the war may stop, but if you win there will be more death to my people."

"No matter who wins, there will be blood on both sides. Sometimes people have to die so others may live. I don't like the thought of that either, but I have to accept it."

Razil shook his head again. "I am sorry, I cannot. I can say that the weapon will destroy your world."

Derek turned away, but Nova looked over his shoulder, nodding and whispering a "thank you" to Razil. Razil grunted something unintelligible and laid back down on the crate.

"So now what?" Derek asked.

"Any plan starts with getting out of this cargo hold," Conroy answered. "Until we can figure out that part, nothing else matters."

Nova looked around the room and said, "Most of the crew is seriously wounded. We're in no condition to fight our way out of here."

They sat, mostly not speaking, for what seemed like hours. Occasionally it felt like the ship had stopped, but it was difficult to tell. The ship was either much larger than the _Yamato_, or was better at suppressing the feeling of motion. Given the size of the cargo door, they assumed they were close to the outer hull of the ship, yet they could hear and feel nothing. For all they knew, the room was floating through space on its own, abandoned by the Pri'Tan fleet. Finally, there was a noise near the smaller door, as four guards opened it and walked through. Two carried large spears, the other two had menacing looking blades on their arms. The two with the arm blades approached Derek and grabbed him by the arms. He started to fight back, but one of them smacked Nova across the face, knocking her to the floor. He looked at Derek and said, "Perhaps you do not value your own life. Surely you value hers?"

Derek spat at him. "You bastard. You savage bastard."

There was a chittering sound which may have been a snicker. "Resist again and I may forget that she is a broodmother." He grabbed Derek's arm again, and the two of them dragged him to the door. Outside was a large crate, which Derek was tossed into. The first two guards crossed their spears to block the opening while the second two went back in to grab more crew members. By the time they were done, Derek was joined by Sandor, Nova, Maria, and Kitano. The door to the crate closed, and the crate began to move. While no one could see where they were going, it felt like they went down several hallways and changed levels a few times before finally stopping. The door opened and they were dragged out and shuffled through a door. They passed two rows of guards, all leading to a large raised dais with a throne on it.

On the throne sat what appeared to be an old, weak, and frail version of the other Pri'Tan they had seen. However, this one was adorned with colored robes and had a large staff in its hand. This could only be their King, Derek thought. What had Desslok called him? Shopeth? They were dragged out to the foot of the dais and shoved into a kneeling position.

The old Pri'Tan rose to his feet and waved his hand, chattering loudly. The guards near the door clicked their spears against the floor, turned, and marched out, closing the large doors behind them. Derek quickly looked around the room – there was a bodyguard on either side of the throne as well as the three that had brought them into the throne room. It appeared that there was only one way out. They would never make it out of this room if they tried to fight.

"Welcome, Destroyers. I am King Ham-Sha'Peth." He looked down on them with disgust. "Normally, criminals are not permitted to look at me. They do not have that honor, and their eyes are gouged out should they disgrace me with their gaze. However, I shall allow it this time, since I shall be the last thing you see." He paused to let this sink in, then stepped down from the dais. "You will leave this room on a body cart, your corpses shall be placed back into your ship, which we shall cast into your Sun. Then the surface of your world will be reduced to ash and rubble. Your colonies will be obliterated. Any last remaining humans will be hunted down and sacrificed in the names of our Great Elders." He raised his upper arms and looked upwards. "Then, and only then, we shall consider your retribution to be paid." He looked back down at Derek and struck the floor with his staff. "You. You are the leader, are you not?"

Derek looked up at the King and nodded. "I am -"

"I gave you no permission to speak!" the King screamed, waving his staff as if to strike Derek. Derek did not flinch. He had resolved to show no fear. He wasn't sure if it would make any difference in the end, but it seemed like the thing a leader should do in the face of certain death. "It was you who struck the death blow upon our world, was it not?"

Derek nodded, but said nothing.

"What was the purpose of your war with the Black Nebula Empire?" King Ham-Sha'Peth nodded and added, "You may answer."

Derek looked the King straight in the eyes and said, "The Black Nebula Empire attacked us. We were defending Earth."

"A predictable response. Always in the name of defending yourselves. Your people have a long history of death and destruction, all for defense. You think you can just run rampant through space, destroying entire planets, and then sit back and smugly claim innocence." The King turned and pointed a thin arm at Derek, then swept it through the air. "I've been reading up on your history, human. You've been a very naughty species." He laughed in that sickening chittering sound. "First you destroy each other, and when that's not enough for you, you spread out through the universe like a plague. You find other worlds, other species to attack, to defeat, to rule, all in the name of self-defense."

"I think your research is a bit flawed, Your Highness," Derek began, then paused to see if he would be permitted to continue. When the King said nothing, Derek went on. "The people of Earth did colonize other nearby planets, but the intention was not to conquer anyone. Until the Gamilons attacked us, we weren't even aware that there was life besides our own. Oh, sure, we suspected, but we never found any proof of it."

"Typical arrogance, to assume you were all alone in this vast universe. So when you did finally find your proof, what was your response?" King Ham-Sha'Peth asked.

"The Gamilons attacked us without warning. We attempted to defend ourselves, as anyone would do." Derek knew he was being steered into a trap. No matter what he said, the King would twist his words.

"Yes, and as I recall, you were losing rather badly until you received help. Suddenly you had a new ship, with a powerful new weapon. You could finally defeat your enemy, and you did! You destroyed the Gamilon homeworld! It wasn't enough to beat them in battle, you had to completely crush them. For such is the way of your people." He turned and walked to the far end of the room, where a panel suddenly lit up. "Your people are never satisfied with a simple win. No, your victories must be absolute. Your resolutions are final." The panel displayed a very grainy picture of an army marching through a street. Superimposed over it was a black cross, which Derek did not readily recognize.

"You're comparing our battle against Desslok with Nazi Germany?" Sandor said, horrified. "How dare -" He was cut off by a sharp blow to the head by one of the guard's spears.

"Are you saying you do not learn from your past? I found many more such examples of your brutal history. It is in your very nature to destroy yourselves, and when you got bored with that, you took your belligerence into space." The King pointed to the panel, which now showed Hitler standing at a podium. "This one, he decided to wipe out an entire race of people. Do you deny this?"

Derek replied without looking up. "We deny nothing. Yes, we had some rather unsavory characters in our past. That doesn't mean we emulate them."

The King made a sound that may have been a laugh or a cough, Derek couldn't tell for sure. The panel began to change, showing images of more people, some of which Derek remembered from his old history classes. Napoleon, Hussein, Stalin, bin Ladin - crazed leaders who were bent on conquest and destruction.

"Is your race that different? You're attempting to exterminate my people because your ancient religion tells you to. Many of the people you just cited believed the very same thing – that they had the right to kill. We have changed much since that time."

"Have you now?" the King said with obvious amusement. "Let's see how much you've evolved, shall we?" The King waved his hand and an image of the planet Gamilon appeared. "Did you not attempt to destroy their entire race? You were not content to simply defeat them and leave. No, you set off a chain reaction by shooting a volcano. Brilliant strategy! Tell me, who came up with this idea?"

Derek said nothing.

"Yes, I thought as much. Very well, then, let us move on. So much for your supposed enlightenment." The image now changed to that of the White Comet, streaking through space. "The Gatlantean Battle Comet. I am aware they built it in an attempt to defeat us, yet they used it to attack the Earth. Do you know why?"

"Zordar wanted to enslave us," Derek said.

"He wanted to use you to attack us! Even as far away as Gatlantis, your brutality was well known. You were almost respected by some as a vicious people, well qualified to send into war for a guaranteed quick conclusion to the battle."

"You're insane," Maria said. The King glared at her, amazed that she had dared to speak. "You really think Zordar wanted us for our combat skills? He wanted slaves, pure and simple. You're just looking for excuses to-" She gasped, then fell forward to the floor and was silent.

The guard behind her cackled and withdrew his spear from her back.

"NO!" Kitano screamed and attempted to get up to attack the guard, but he wasn't fast enough. Kitano was knocked flat on his back by a swing of the same spear. The guard raised the spear for a death strike, but the King bellowed loudly, causing the guard to stop mid-lunge. Everyone looked over to King Ham-Sha'Peth; some of the guards appeared amazed that he could utter such a sound.

"No one..." the King began, slowly. "NO ONE dies in my throne room without my permission. Is that clear?"

The guard lowered his spear and bowed. "Yes, my King. I am ashamed."

"As well you should be." He made a clicking sound; without hesitation the guards on either side of the throne drew their spears and hurled them at the one who had attacked Maria. He was impaled against the wall, shaking in pain, then was still. "You are forgiven," the King muttered.

Kitano got back up and went to Maria. "Come on, come on! Stay with me!" He cradled her in his arms.

The King walked over to Kitano, who either did not notice or did not care. "She was your mate?"

Kitano did not look up.

"I wish I had known. I would have had her killed much sooner." He chattered loudly and walked away, then turned to Nova. "Ah, yes, you are the broodmother everyone is up in arms about. You may not be aware that our traditions hold high regard for those who bear young. It is for this reason alone that you still live. However," he waved a hand towards Lanis, "this shall now be resolved."

Lanis walked over to Nova, his head bowed. "What is your wish, my King?"

"As my Second, I grant the honor of ending her life to you, Lanis."

"Thank you, my King. I am..." He hesitated, then said, "unworthy." Lanis raised an arm, exposing a large blade similar to the ones they had seen on other warriors. This one, however, had an odd purple tint to it.

"Carry out the execution." The King turned to step back towards his throne but stopped suddenly. Lanis held up an arm, preventing the King from moving.

"With pleasure, old fool." The King began to move back, but Lanis quickly drove his blade into the King's chest. Ham-Sha'Peth fell to the floor, blood running down his body.

"Ah, Lanis," he coughed, "I was beginning to think... that you didn't... have it... in you." He crumpled to the floor and was silent.

With a sudden quickness, Lanis turned and shot purple sparks from his blade, striking the two bodyguards. They froze in place, their faces twisted in pain. The remaining two guards raised their spears towards Lanis, but did not move. Lanis walked over to the guard who was still stuck to the wall and picked up his spear, then walked back towards the throne. He tossed the spear to the floor, then shouted at Derek. "Pick it up!"

Derek shook his head. "No."

"I said pick it up!" Lanis kicked Derek in the side, knocking him over. Derek sat back up and crossed his arms.

"I refuse. I will not be a part of your insurrection."

Lanis scooped up the spear and tossed it into Derek's lap. Then he turned to the guards, shouting, "The Destroyers have murdered your King! Don't just stand there! Kill them!" The guards, obviously well trained for such an abrupt change in leadership, pointed their spears at Derek and Sandor. "I will take care of the broodmother." He grabbed Nova by the hair and held his arm-blade at her throat. "The old fool may have been wrong on a few points, however, his judgement still stands. You are hereby found guilty of crimes against my people, and the penalty is death!"

Nova closed her eyes as Lanis swung his blade.

There was a scream.

There was a thud as her body crumpled to the floor.


	11. 11 Good News and Bad

"Nova!!" Derek screamed. He threw himself at Lanis, who dropped Nova to the floor as he fell sideways. Kitano shouted to Sandor, and both of them jumped the two remaining guards. Lanis tried to strike Derek with his arm-blade, but Derek was frantically hitting him in the face, torso, anywhere he could land a punch. A purple spark shot out from Lanis' arm-blade, but it hit the wall harmlessly. Without thinking, Derek grabbed the glass shard from his pocket and held it up to Lanis' neck. Lanis, feeling the point, stopped struggling.

"You're going to let us go. Now," Derek panted.

"Why should I?" Lanis cackled. "Where do you think you're going? The guards outside will never let you pass." He shoved Derek aside and stood up. "Kill them!" he shouted to his guards.

Before the guards could act on this order, the wall behind Derek exploded outwards, showering the room with metal chunks. Derek dove on top of Nova's motionless body, waiting for the smoke to clear. When he lifted his head, he saw several armed men running through the opening. The throne room doors burst open and Pri'Tan Royal Guards poured into the room, but they were easily picked off. Soon there was nothing left but a pile of smoking bodies in front of the doorway. Derek turned to see a familiar figure stepping through the hole in the wall.

"Derek, so good to see you again." Desslok held out his hand to help Derek to his feet, then looked down at Nova's blood-covered body. His face fell as he said, "Please, tell me I wasn't too late."

Derek knelt down and touched her neck. "No, she's fine. I think she fainted from the stress. Maria..." He looked across the room.

Kitano had Maria's limp body in his arms. "She's..." There was a red stain covering her chest, and blood was dripping from her back.

Sandor came up behind Kitano. "I'll carry her. My legs won't get tired." Kitano looked like he couldn't let go, but he reluctantly handed Maria's body over. Sandor tried to place a hand over the open wound on her back, then announced, "Okay, I've got her." He turned to Derek and said, "Let's get out of here."

"Come, my ship is this way." Desslok waved them all through the escape hole. They stepped over several dead Pri'Tan as they made their way down the hallway. They didn't walk far before they got to the docking tube from Desslok's flagship.

Derek looked back towards the throne room, and said, "We need to get back to the cargo -"

"Already taken care of. Your crew is back on the _Yamato_, although I have to say your ship has seen better days." Desslok frowned. "I hope she'll still fly."

_To think you spent the better part of two years trying to destroy her,_ Derek thought. "That ship has been through a lot, as I am sure you know. She won't let us down."

"I'll take you to your ship." They stepped through the tunnel and onto the _Gamilstadt II._ Maria and Nova were placed onto carts that looked strangely familiar. Before Derek could ask, Desslok explained with a smile, "We borrowed them from your sick bay. I hope you don't mind." He turned and grabbed a phone from the wall. "Talan, take us to where _Yamato_ is docked. Radio ahead and tell them-" He turned and looked at Maria, then at Kitano. He lowered his voice and said, "Tell them all are aboard but some need medical attention."

The docking port was closed and retracted, and the ship pulled away from the hull. Derek looked around for a view port, but all he found was more hallway. "What's going on out there?" he finally asked.

"My fleet is holding them at bay, but we're not exactly winning. We need to..." He paused. "We'll draw them off as soon as you're on board your ship." It was obvious that Desslok did not the idea of running away.

"How did you know where we were?" Derek let himself slide down the wall to sit down. He knew he didn't have a lot of time to relax, and was grateful for the chance to be off his feet.

Desslok looked up at the ceiling, as if sorting out his words, then said, "Starsha... appeared to me. I know, it sounds strange."

"Actually," Derek said with a weak laugh, "I have no trouble believing that."

Desslok stared at Derek for a moment, then simply said, "Hmm." He motioned for Derek to follow and led him to a shuttle bay. "You need to get back to your ship. We'll keep them busy so you can get to a repair station." Nova and Maria were wheeled onto the small blue craft; Sandor and Kitano were already inside. Desslok seated himself on a raised chair and ordered the pilot to depart. The shuttle left the flagship and headed for the _Yamato_.

Only now was Derek able to survey the damage to his ship. The _Yamato _was caught in a set of large clamps. There were several holes and dents in the hull, the hangar bay door was gone, and windows all over the ship were smashed. Most of them were covered with emergency doors, but some were still wide open. There were no running lights, and the radar dishes were smashed. The shuttle flew up into the hangar and landed. Derek reached for the hatch release, but Desslok stopped him.

"Wait."

"What's wrong?" Derek asked.

"I feel..." Desslok closed his eyes. "When Starsha appeared to me, I could feel, well... a presence unlike anything I ever felt before. It was her, and yet... Now that I am on your ship, I feel it again." He opened his eyes. "She's here."

"Perhaps." Derek wasn't sure if he should tell Desslok what he knew. Desslok had loved Starsha, but to find out that what he fell in love with was not the real Starsha might do more harm than good. "Perhaps she followed you here to make sure you succeeded."

Desslok nodded, then said, "You'd better go. I am needed back on my flagship." Derek nodded and hit the release. The door opened, and several Black Tigers rushed in with rifles cocked.

Derek held up his hand and said, "Stand down, guys." Relief spread through the group as they lowered their weapons. Sakamoto stepped forward and saluted.

"Welcome back, Wildstar. Good to see all of you." He motioned to the men behind him, and said, "When the Gamilons smashed their way into the cargo hold, we told them you had been taken, but they said their only concern was to get us out of there."

"Desslok himself came after us. We couldn't be in better hands," Derek laughed. He pointed towards the two carts. "Get them to Dr Sane. I'm sure he has his hands full but the sooner they get up there..."

"Right. Okay guys, let's go!" Sakamoto led his men into the shuttle.

Derek turned to Desslok. "Thank you. That's two I owe you."

Desslok shook Derek's hand. "Just let me know where the final battle is."

"Count on it." He stepped down the ramp, then turned. "By the way, where are we?"

"200 megameters from the planet you call 'Brumis'," was the reply as the ramp closed. The shuttle lifted off and disappeared through the hangar door.

"We're back in our own solar system!" Derek exclaimed. He stepped onto the elevator and wondered where he should go first. He wanted to see Nova, but he needed to make sure the ship was able to leave, and he had no idea how many of his bridge crew survived. _Captain first, husband second_, he thought with a frown, and hit the button for the bridge. The elevator moved slowly, but Derek was glad that it worked at all. He wasn't sure he had the strength to climb up a ladder and take the stairs.

After an eternity, the bridge door slid open. Several faces turned to him, and a weak voice said, "Commodore on the bridge." Derek looked to the direction of the voice to find Homer, leg in a splint, seated at his radio.

"Homer, this is the last place you should be," Derek said.

"No sir, my post is the first and only place I should be right now." He winced, then said, "Besides, my job is done from the seated position. My leg is killing me, but my ass works just fine." He grinned, then added, "Sir."

"As you were then," Derek said. He should have expected nothing less from any of his crew. As he approached the command seat, he looked around the bridge and took in the chaos. The main viewer was dead, the front windows were gone and sealed, and half the consoles were smashed. Sandor was at his post, as was Eager who had a bandage on his arm. "Any word from sick bay?"

Sandor turned to face Derek. "Kitano is on his way. Physically he's fine, but he's a bit shaken up. Dash took a bump to the head but will report to his post as soon as he finds his spare pair of glasses. Nova is still unconscious but will be okay. I guess it's no secret now, so I can tell you the baby is fine too."

Derek tried to hide his tears of joy, but choked when he asked, "What about Maria? Do we have a navigator?"

Sandor shook his head and said quietly, "That's all I know."

Derek clenched his fist and looked upwards. "Any idea whether we can get the engines started? Do we have any power at all?"

"Orion insisted on being in the engine room, despite a pretty bad concussion. They don't have communications yet, so there's no way to know what's going on down there. IQ-9 was sent off to gather status reports from everyone."

Derek suddenly felt guilty. "I had forgotten all about IQ-9. He wasn't brought on board the enemy ship with us."

"The way he tells it, the Pri'Tan saw him and ran away in terror, saying something about the 'monster from Beemera.'" Sandor laughed and said, "I think it's more likely he hid someplace and shut himself down to avoid capture."

"I'll be sure to thank him for his protection," Derek said with a smirk. He climbed up to his console, which was useless without power. There was nothing he could do here. "I'm going to sick bay," he said.

**Sick Bay, time unknown**

Derek stepped through the door, which was not opening or closing automatically. Nurses were running around in what appeared to be confusion, but in fact they were quite organized given the circumstances. Dr Sane could be heard in another room, barking out orders. Derek raised his finger to ask a question, but was answered by a nurse who simply pointed to a bed in the corner and continued on her way.

Derek peeked around the screen to find his wife. She had been cleaned up, and was dressed in a light pink hospital gown. Her arm was wrapped in a bandage and she had several stitches across her forehead. He choked and wiped away a tear at how peaceful, how helpless she looked. He hadn't seen her like this since the end of their first mission to Iscandar. He leaned down and kissed her cheek softly, then moved to her ear. "I love you so much," he whispered.

"It's about time you got your ass down here," she replied. Derek stood up suddenly; Nova opened her eyes and smiled. "What took you? No, wait, let me guess. The old 'captain first, husband second' thing, right?"

Derek leaned back down and took her in his arms.

"Oh, and I love you too," she whispered with a sniffle. "You knucklehead." Derek pulled away and looked into her eyes. "I heard all about how you charged to my rescue after their new King almost took my head for his mantle."

"I have never felt so close to losing you."

"From Sandor's description, it sounds like what happened when you saw Sasha get shot. You snapped." She smiled and said, "and once again, I missed it."

"I'm sorry, that sounds awful when you put it like that."

"Everyone has their breaking point, and you reached yours." They hugged again, and neither spoke for a few minutes. Finally she asked, "So what kind of shape are we in?"

"Not good. The ship has no power, the crew is pretty banged up, and it's only a matter of time before the Pri'Tan get their wits about them and realize that Desslok's attack was only a diversion."

"We've been in worse places," she said, lying back down and closing her eyes. "We'll get through this."

"Yes, we will. Somehow."

"I'll report to my station as soon as-"

Derek stood up. "You will do no such thing. You're going to rest up, and you're not going to argue with me or the doctor. Don't forget, you're a broodmother." He smiled as she rolled her eyes.

"Does that mean you have to worship the ground I walk on?" she giggled.

"Who says I don't already?" He turned towards the door, then looked back. "Oh, and speaking of, you might want to requisition a larger uniform." He ducked out the door as a pillow came flying towards his head.

Derek returned to the bridge, making a mental note to move it closer to sick bay. He shoved the door open and climbed around it, asking, "Okay, guys, give me some good news."

Before anyone could speak, the bridge lights came on, and consoles started to come to life.

"Nice," he said, nodding as he walked to his station.

A panel near Eager's station exploded, and Eager's voice was heard from behind his chair. "Well, almost," he mumbled.

"Do we have communications yet?"

"Not yet," Kitano answered, squeezing around the half-open elevator door. "But we have maneuvering jets, and should have auxiliary engines in an hour."

"I suppose weapons would be too much to hope for," Derek sighed.

"Not happening any time soon," Kitano replied. "And the last thing I would want is to draw attention to myself. No one has any idea what's holding this old ship together at the moment."

"Okay. First thing is to get us loose from those clamps. Ideas?" Derek looked around at what remained of his bridge team.

"Explosives on the clamps." Sandor said. "We send the Black Tigers out to put charges on the mobility points and blow them loose."

"Okay, then what? They discover that we've escaped and recapture us, which I have to say I am surprised hasn't already happened."

Eager spoke up. "The Gamilon rescue party shot up the door pretty badly. I doubt they have even bothered to look inside. A bunch of prisoners will be the least of their worries during an attack."

"I don't know, we were important prisoners." Derek mused.

"It's only a matter of time before they get bored and leave with us still attached," Sandor said.

"Or reinforcements arrive," Kitano added.

Sandor nodded, then rested his head in his hand. "There has to be a way to get us out of here."

"There is," Derek said, "but I need communications."

"It's been a priority, since we need to warn Earth of what's coming," Homer said.

"Assuming there's anyone left," Kitano mumbled.

"Okay, I don't want to hear any more of that defeatist talk. As far as we know, Earth is right where we left it. Clear?"

Kitano looked up. "Yes sir. Sorry."

"It's okay. We're all tired and we had a really bad day. I am sure a lot of people are thinking the same thing about now."

The sound of a door being torn out of its frame drew everyone's attention to the back of the bridge. IQ-9 was setting the elevator door down against the wall.

"Good to see you, IQ," Derek said. "What's our status?"

IQ-9 turned to face Derek. "The Wave Motion Engine is offline, estimated repair time is four hours assuming we have the necessary parts. Auxiliary engines are ready to test. Shock cannons are offline, repairs are underway. Pulse cannons are operational. Steering jets are operational. Radar is operational. Short range communication is possible but long range antennas are smashed beyond repair. We also lost six Astro-fighters and four medical shuttles."

Derek closed his eyes, not wanting to ask the next question. "Injury report."

"12 are dead, 4 are missing, 36 are wounded, but only 8 of those are critical. Of the wounded, 20 are able to return to duty immediately, and 7 will be able to perform limited duty functions. Of those, 2 are-"

"Okay, I got it. Thank you, IQ. I'll need you to take the helm until..." Derek looked over to Kitano, who was staring at the empty pilot's chair.

"Chief Navigator Maria Santiago is one of the-"

Derek cut him off. "Yes, I understand. Thank you, IQ."

IQ-9 turned and rolled to the navigator's station, moving the chair back to make room.

"Homer, contact Desslok's flagship. We're going to need another favor."

"Yes sir. Audio only, I'm afraid."

Derek looked up at the main viewscreen, forcing himself not to count the holes and cracks in it. "Audio is fine."

A rather annoyed sounding female voice came over the speakers. "_Yamato_, this is General Katei of the _Gamilstadt_. I can barely hear you, please repeat your message."

"General, this is Commodore Wildstar. I need to speak with Leader... excuse me... Emperor Desslok."

"His Majesty is rather busy at the moment."

"Understood. Can you get a message to him?"

There was silence, followed by what sounded like sputtering. "Am I to understand you're asking me, a General in Emperor Desslok's direct command, to take a message?"

Homer stifled a giggle.

"I understand that you're busy, General, but this is rather urgent."

More silence, and then, "Fine, FINE! What's the message?"

"We need to make use of his SMITE equipment."

A pause. Derek looked at Homer, who nodded that yes, the connection was still open.

"Just that?"

"Yes, that's all."

"You wouldn't like some tea delivered to your room? Maybe the morning paper?"

Now Derek had to keep from laughing. "No, just the message will be fine, thank you."

"Oh! OH! No, not at all, it will be my pleasure! Expect a response almost immediately, as I am sure His Majesty will be most happy to drop what he is doing-" The connection broke off suddenly.

"I didn't know Gamilon science had discovered sarcasm," Kitano said.

"If I didn't know better, I would say she's from Earth," Derek muttered.

"Wildstar, there's a reply to your message," Homer cut in. "We are to transmit destination coordinates and signal the _Gamilstadt_ when we're ready. That's it."

"That's more than enough. Respond with my thanks. Sandor, get the Black Tigers out there with charges and get us loose."

"Roger," he replied.

"My King, the Gamilon fleet is retreating."

Lanis was sitting on his new throne, in the middle of the rubble that was once a throne room. "Do not let them escape! I want Desslok's head brought to me before this day is over. How dare he interfere?"

"Yes my King."

"What of our Earth prisoners?"

"We are unable to open the cargo door, but reports from several pilots say there is a large hole in the outer door. It was presumed that the prisoners were blown into space."

"Presumed? Make sure of it! I want to see bodies."

"Yes, my King." The messenger turned to leave, stepping over the bodies of former Royal Guards. Lanis rubbed his hand over his new staff, and looked down at the dead body of Ham-Sha'Peth.

"Now, old fool, it's my turn." He grinned and walked towards the door. "And clean up this mess!" he shouted to no one in particular.

The report finally came in that the charges had been set. Derek had ordered all hands back onboard and set a detonation countdown of five minutes.

"That's cutting it close, isn't it?" Sandor pointed out.

"We're already on borrowed time. They have to know we're not in the cargo hold anymore."

Nova's radar screen started beeping. Eager got up from his station and limped over to it, then exclaimed, "Uh oh! We got company!"

"Damn," Derek said. "How many?"

"Just one. Can't tell if it's checkin' us out or just lookin' around."

"Okay, let's hope he's not here when the charges go off." Derek picked up a microphone and tapped the "send" button. "All hands, this is Commodore Wildstar. I know some areas of the ship don't have communications yet, so please pass this on. In approximately three minutes we'll break away from the Pri'Tan ship. Since we still don't have warp capability, the Gamilons will be teleporting us away from the battlefield, then we will head towards our Titan repair station. Since we also do not have long range communications, we don't know whether or not there still IS a Titan repair station, but it's all we've got at this point." He paused, then said, "Breakaway in two minutes. All hands prepare for possible retaliation. Wildstar out."

IQ-9 switched the auxiliary engines on and reported, "Maneuvering thrusters are on stand-by."

"Very good, IQ-9. Stand ready."

Sandor looked at his status screen, then said, "Thirty seconds to detonation. Hang on, some of them are close to our hull."

Approximately thirty seconds later, 25 small explosions were felt, rattling the ship.

"IQ, full power. Get us out of here!" Derek sat down, hoping auxiliary engines would be enough.

"Yes sir!" IQ-9 hit the throttle and steered hard to starboard. For the first few seconds, nothing seemed to happen, then there was a tearing sound and the ship tipped to the right.

"We're moving!" Homer shouted.

"Okay! Homer, signal to the _Gamilstadt_. We're leaving."

A minute went by, then Homer replied, "Message from Desslok – ready when we are."

"Okay," Derek said. "SMITE coordinates in ten seconds. For those of you who never went through this, it's, well, kinda like going through warp, only not really."

"Thanks, that helps," Eager laughed. "As long as it gets us away from here, I don't care if – whoa, Desslok's got a small fleet heading towards him."

Derek stood up, looking to the smashed viewscreen. _Damn_, he thought. "They must have figured out what we're doing. Time to-"

Derek was cut off by the sound of a distant explosion, followed by a queasy sensation and a feeling of being turned inside out through his ears. When he regained his senses, he mumbled, "Where are we?" He wasn't sure if anyone heard him.

"Recalibrating radar... we're nowhere near the destination coordinates," Eager shouted, realizing suddenly that he couldn't hear himself. He shook his head until the buzzing stopped.

"Wow." Homer was smacking the side of his head.

"You get used to it," Derek said. "I guess, anyway. Okay, so where are we?"

Eager was flipping switches, then said, "Not very far from where we started, I'm afraid."

"Great. Any idea what happened back there?"

"No sign of the Gamilon fleet," Eager said. "The Pri'Tan ship is just sitting there."

"So Desslok either warped out or... okay, let's not hang around to be recaptured. IQ-9, head for Titan, best possible speed."

"Using just our auxiliary engines, it will take us-"

"Never mind, just get us there."

"Yes, sir." IQ-9 started the engines and turned the ship.

"Homer, scan the airwaves for any nearby ships. Eager, keep your eyes open for wreckage. I know there were some battles out here, maybe we can salvage something."

Homer tried several channels, but was getting no replies on any of them. He turned to Derek and shrugged, then held up his finger and listened. "It's faint," he said, "but there's something coming in."

"Put it on speaker," Derek said.

"... defense fleet ... orders from Earth ... been trying ... ship ... without warning. We managed to ..."

"That's it," Homer said. "The message keeps repeating, but I can't make out anything more."

Derek frowned. "An automated distress beacon. Whoever it was got wiped out."

"Whoever it was said 'we managed to'," Kitano said. "Maybe there were some survivors."

"Can we locate the source?"

"Working on it," Homer said. After a minute he said, "Got it. It's the _Gideon_, or rather what's left of her. 6200 megameters ahead of us."

"Okay then. Sandor, get a team ready. Go check it out."

IQ-9 brought the ship close to the hull of the _Gideon_. Eager filled the rest of the crew in on what had happened when the Pri'Tan fleet appeared just inside their scanning range; he knew the _Gideon_ had been sent to investigate, but nothing was ever reported on what happened. Everyone had assumed the ship was lost; the burnt-out hull floating next to them confirmed his suspicions.

Twenty minutes later, Sandor reported in. "There's not much left, Wildstar. Whatever hit it didn't leave us a lot to work with."

"Is there anything left of the engine?" Derek asked, not holding much hope.

"Without a diagnostic computer to connect to, I won't know until I get in there. I'll report back in 30 minutes. Sandor out."

"Okay then. Nothing to do but wait." He sat back down at his chair and looked out the window at the wreckage. _Just like your namesake_, he thought.

"Sir?" He looked down and saw Kitano staring up at him.

"Go to her," Derek answered. Kitano nodded his thanks and went to the elevator. Derek jumped down from his command console and said, "Wait, I'll go with you." Neither spoke as they descended the elevator shaft towards Sick Bay.

As they stepped out of the elevator, Kitano held out his arm and made a "ssh" sound. Derek reached for his sidearm, then realized he didn't have it on him. Looking back and forth down the corridor, he saw nothing.

"Over there," Kitano whispered. There was a flickering light coming from around the corner. Derek nodded and they started slowly moving towards it. Hugging the wall, Derek peered around the corner. Whatever was making the light was gone.

"I don't see anything." He went around the corner and continued down the hall towards Sick Bay, but there was no sign of anything amiss. The door to the medical area had finally been shoved all the way open, so the two went inside. Derek made his way towards Nova's bed, but looked over to Kitano and said, "Would you like -"

"No," he replied without turning around. He walked to the end of the room and disappeared behind a curtain.

"Derek?" came a voice from the bed nearest him.

"I'm here," he said, walking towards her. She was propped up on a pile of pillows, and her bandaged arm was now in a sling.

"Who was that with you?" she asked.

"Kitano."

Nova lowered her voice. "Will she...?"

Derek shook his head but said nothing.

Nova nodded, then said, "It got a little bumpy for a second there, now it doesn't even feel like we're moving. What's going on?"

"Sandor is trying to salvage some engine parts from a wrecked ship. I'm glad to see you sitting up."

"My back started to hurt so they brought me some pillows." Derek felt a little bad about his earlier joke about her needing a larger uniform. She was starting to show and was obviously self-conscious about it. It was hard to believe that they had been away from Earth for over three months.

"Look, Nova, we can find someone to run your station."

"Uh uh! As soon as Doctor Sane says I can leave this bed, I am going to do exactly that! I don't care if I have to wear a bedsheet, my place is at my station."

He remembered Homer saying something similar, but this was a little different. "Nova, you're not only putting your health on the line, but -"

"If we get attacked again, it doesn't matter whether I am lying in bed or sitting at a radar console. At least let me be somewhere useful." She lowered her voice again. "Besides, I know we're going to be short handed. I may not be on duty but I still hear about the casualty reports." She motioned towards the far end of the room, where the critical patients were kept.

Derek sighed. "I doubt I could keep you off the bridge anyway. Fine, you can return to duty when Doctor Sane says it's okay, but no sooner." He smiled at her.

"Yes, sir!" she said, giving the traditional fist-over-heart salute. She then winced and gave her breast a slight squeeze. "Ouch, that's going to take some getting used to."

Derek winked and said, "Tease," as he got up to leave.

"Don't even think about it, mister," she said.

As he headed towards the door, he looked back towards the far end of the room. The lights were dim so he couldn't see much. He was tempted to check on Kitano, then decided to respect his privacy and return to the bridge.

"Message from Sandor," Homer reported as Derek entered the bridge. "The _Gideon's_ main engine was badly damaged, but it looks like they can salvage enough parts to get our Wave Engine working again."

"Excellent," Derek replied. "I assume the engine room is already working with him?"

"Yes sir," Homer nodded. "Orion and Lewis are on their way over there now with a team to dismantle the _Gideon's_ flywheel assembly."

"Nice to have some good news for a change," Derek said, leaning back in his chair.

"How's Nova doing?" Homer asked.

"She's fine, just a little sore. She took a bit of a beating over there, and the pregnancy brings its own aches and pains."

"I'll be sure to take notes for future reference," Homer grinned.

The repairs took several days, during which time Homer regularly checked for any radio traffic, any sign at all that the Earth Defense Force was still in control. The crew was starting to get more and more despondent over the lack of any news, which worried Derek. They all had to remain optimistic if they were to make it home, which was growing increasingly difficult. While most of the injured crew members were finally returning to their duties, others were not so lucky. Each report of yet another fatality caused more depression, which was making it harder to keep people focused on their work. His own bridge crew, consummate professionals all, worked long hours to get their stations functional again. He knew they were tired, but they all knew what had to be done. Nova was back on her feet again, and took short shifts to help with calibrating equipment and coordinating efforts between departments.

Then Kitano received the call. He ran from the bridge as the remaining crew looked first to him, then to the empty chair at Navigation. They held on to each other, said some silent prayers, and returned to work. They had lost one of their own, but they would have to mourn later. Derek looked over to Nova, who was sitting at her station with her hand covering her face. He grit his teeth and looked upwards.

_Why?_


	12. 12 Love, Don't Go Away

Later that night, Sandor and Orion announced that the engine was as good as it was going to get given the parts they had available. The Wave Motion Engine was once again operational, but they could not go to warp. If there was any hope left, it fell through the deck plating when it was realized that the trip home would take several months.

"At full power," Sandor said, "we can be at the Titan base in roughly six weeks. That, I'm afraid, is our only chance for repairing the rest of the engine. If that shipyard isn't operational though..."

Derek wasn't listening. He looked down at Nova, remembering a promise he made. He had promised his wife that they would be home before the baby was born, but it was looking more and more unlikely.

Derek then looked down at the Combat Chief's station. Kitano was still by Maria's side, no doubt. She was gone; Dr Sane said she had lost too much blood. There were so many wounded, and not enough blood to go around. Her death brought the total to 15, plus the four MIA that were assumed to be dead or recaptured. As many times as he had been told to accept death as a possibility, it still wasn't easy to swallow when it actually happened. Once again, people were dying under his command. Last time his crew was killed, he handed in his resignation in shame. He found himself wondering if anyone would be left to accept it this time. _No! Snap out of it! Of course Earth will survive. It must!_

"DEREK!"

"What?"

Nova was looking up at him; he obviously hadn't heard her calling to him the first few times. "Radar contact, 400 megameters to starboard."

"Pri'Tan?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Great. Are we in any condition for a fight?"

Sandor turned and said, "Main guns are online, but we still have some thin spots in our hull plating."

"Okay then. IQ-9, hide behind the _Gideon_. With any luck they won't spot us."

"Too late, they're makin' a bee-line towards us," Eager cut in.

"Okay, so much for that idea." He hit the comm switch. "Attention all hands, report to your stations. This is not a drill. Incoming Pri'Tan ship. Battle stations."

"It's in range," Eager reported.

Derek looked down at Kitano's chair, which was still empty. He must not have heard the alarm. "Dash, take Combat."

"Yes, sir!" Dash moved to the Combat Chief's chair and started calling out instructions to the gunners. The guns fired, and the ship disintegrated. "Got him!"

A loud thump was heard from the port side, and the ship shook. "Dammit, it was a diversion!" Derek shouted.

"They've attached themselves to the hull," Sandor reported.

"Get that thing off my ship!" Derek replied angrily.

"Just got a report, they're coming in through the port Observation Lounge." Sandor was punching some buttons. "Heading for the engine room."

"Oh no they don't. Not again." Derek stood up. "Dash, get the Black Tigers down there. I'm going to join them." As he ran to the elevator he called over his shoulder, "And find Kitano!"

The elevator door opened and Derek was almost bowled over by crew running down the hall. He turned as someone shouted, "Wildstar, catch!" A rifle was sailing through the air, which Derek grabbed. Several of the Black Tigers ran past; Derek joined them and headed down the hallway with them.

"They are NOT taking this ship again!" Derek shouted. "No prisoners. No mercy!"

"Yes sir!" several men shouted. The sound of gunfire could be heard ahead. They burst through the door into the Observation Lounge and started shooting at the Pri'Tan trying to board.

Derek shot two of them as they crawled through the breach in the hull, then yelled, "Conroy, hold them back here. I'm going to check the engine room."

"Okay!" Conroy pointed at four men. "You're with the Commodore. He dies, I kill you myself."

"Sir!" they shouted in unison, as they followed Derek out the other door.

Derek ran through the door to the engine room to see several Pri'Tan lying on the floor. He looked around to see Orion holding a large wrench.

"Wow," Derek managed.

"Oh, I wasn't alone. Lewis took out two of them, but got shot. Jenkins took him to sick bay." He looked around, then said, "Wait a second. There were.... oh damn."

Derek looked around. "One unaccounted for?"

"I guess they weren't all knocked out. Damn!"

"Okay." He motioned to the men with him. "Take care of these bodies. I'm going after the one that got away."

"What should we do with them?" one of the Black Tigers asked.

"I don't care if you make meatloaf out of them. Make sure they are dead and get them out of the engine room." Derek ran from the room and down the hall.

Two of the men looked at each other, wrinkled their noses, and started dragging bodies.

**Morgue, 2145 hours**

She lay there, looking almost angelic. Kitano held onto her hand, as if she wouldn't leave him if he didn't let go. He reached up and smoothed her hair around the bandage that was wrapped around her forehead.

"Why?" he asked. "Why did you have to take her away from me?" He shook his head, feeling more tears coming. He had been crying since he received the word of her passing. "Why her? Why not someone else? Why not anyone else?" He looked down to her, and could almost hear her chiding him.

"You idiot," she would say to him. "We're all in this together. We all signed up for the same risks, and we all accept that we might not make it home. We all know we might leave behind someone we love."

"Why did it have to be you?" he answered. "I didn't care when I signed on. I didn't have anyone to leave behind. They were already gone from the last war."

"Is that why you're out here? Payback?"

"I am here because it is my duty to be here," he said solemnly. "Besides, this crew is the only family I have now."

"Then don't you think it's your duty to be up there, on the bridge, helping your family get home?"

"I don't care. We're not going to make it anyway. Wildstar is kidding himself if he believes that we stand a chance. I heard the alarm. I felt the collision. They're here, coming for us again. Just because we've always won doesn't mean we're going to win this time. I'd rather just sit here with you."

"Kind of selfish, don't you think?"

"I don't care. I am selfish when it comes to you. We haven't known each other long, but I really grew to care about you. You're a part of this family now, but you're more than that to me. Maria, I..."

He was interrupted by a sound behind him, then the strong feeling of a presence. He didn't even have to turn around. "Go ahead. Get it over with."

There was a clicking noise, followed by, "You do not fear your own death?"

"What's to fear? You've taken away the woman I love. You're going to kill everyone on this ship, and then you're going to wipe out the Earth. It's not like I have anything left to live for."

"I was told that your race was much more formidable. You're pathetic and weak. I shall feel no satisfaction from this."

Kitano turned to face the approaching warrior. "Good. I'd hate to think I was making your day."

"All must die in the name of our King Lan-Sha'Nath." The Pri'Tan lifted his spear.

"You can't kill me," a pained voice came from behind Kitano. He turned to see Maria struggling to sit up. "How do you know I'm not a broodmother?"

The warrior stopped suddenly, and flicked his antenna in her direction. As he did, his chest exploded, knocking him back against the wall. He slid to the floor with a wet crunching sound as Maria dropped Kitano's sidearm. Kitano turned back to look at Maria as she sank back into her pillow. He grabbed her and held her tight.

"Ow..." she mumbled.

"I thought you were..." Kitano choked out between sobs. "You're alive!"

"Yeah, no thanks to you, you big chickenshit. _Dios mio_, what happened to your balls? I take a nap for a while and you turn into a _mariposa_."

"I thought for sure I had lost you."

"You're not dumping me that easy, pal." Finally, she hugged him back.

"Um," Kitano said suddenly. "You're not a broodmother, right?"

Maria laughed, then winced at the pain. "You better hope not."

"What the..." Derek ran in and saw the dead Pri'Tan, then saw Kitano and Maria.

"Reporting for duty, sir," Maria said, right before she passed out.

Kitano put her back down and gazed at her. "I don't know, Wildstar, one minute she was dead, and the next..."

Derek shook his head. "I don't know which is more strange, that she's alive or that it doesn't surprise me."

Dr. Sane checked Maria out thoroughly, and said that he had only seen this happen twice before – once with Nova, and the second with Admiral Avatar. Maria was still in serious condition, but she was very much alive. It would be a while before her shoulder wound healed enough for her to return to duty. Once more, Kitano did not want to leave her side, but she insisted that he return to his station. "No need to have all the front row seats empty," she told him.

**Captain's Quarters, 2330 hours**

"I don't get it," Derek said. "She was dead. She had a punctured lung and had lost a lot of blood. Even if we had gotten her back here sooner, Dr. Sane still couldn't have saved her. And yet, there she is in recovery, alive and well."

"You may recall that the same thing happened to me," Nova said.

"Yes, Dr. Sane reminded me. You were dead from the Gamilon radiation, but you came back to us."

"We didn't understand then, but considering what we learned from Maia," Nova began.

Derek turned and stared at his wife. "You think they had something to do with this?"

"At this point, nothing would surprise me." She was trying to fluff a pillow so her broken arm could rest on it.

Derek walked over to the bed to help her get settled. "Maia told me not to ask for help, yet it seems that at least one of them is helping us out somehow." He paused, then looked upwards. "Calaeno, are you responsible for this?"

"I knew eventually you would ask," a soft voice said, followed by the shimmering form of Calaeno appearing near the window. "My heart wept for your Maria Santiago, but I have sworn to Maia not to change what is."

Derek was not satisfied with that answer. "Wait, when Kitano and I were on our way to sick bay, we saw a light in the hallway. Perhaps one of your sisters?"

"Please, Derek Wildstar, I cannot answer your question. When the time is right, you will be told, but for now -"

"This is my crew we're talking about here! I think I have a right to know what is going on!"

"Derek, please," Nova placed a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off.

"Calaeno, I must know. Maria was dead. No one could have lived through that kind of injury without more medical attention than we were able to give her. How is it she lives?"

"Don't get us wrong, Calaeno," Nova said, "We are glad and thankful that she IS alive. We just want to know how."

Calaeno closed her eyes, then shook her head. "It was not me or any of my sisters. I swear to you." Before Derek could reply, she was gone.

"She's lying." Derek flopped himself down on the bed.

"They may have withheld the truth from us in the past, but I don't think they have ever outright lied."

"You'll pardon me if I don't put a lot of faith in her answer," Derek said with a snort. "She's hiding something. She knows what happened, but she won't tell us."

"Perhaps she can't. Maia implied that they have rules to follow."

"They don't seem to have a problem breaking the rules when it's convenient for them. Now that I want answers, suddenly they are bound by a code of conduct."

"Derek, how much of your ancient mythology do you remember?"

"Not a lot. Why?"

Nova yawned; the pain meds were starting to take effect. "If I remember correctly, Maia bore children by Zeus."

"As in, the head of the gods?"

"Head of the Greek gods, yes. Now, we know that most mythology is based on real events. If the Pleaides exist, then it stands to reason that there is also a real Zeus, or whatever name he goes by. Being the all powerful head of the gods, most likely he has power over Maia. What if he's stepped in and is now holding them responsible for past actions?"

"And Calaeno is afraid of his wrath, therefore she won't tell us what happened." Derek sat down next to Nova, who had fallen asleep.

**Space Battleship **_**Yamato**_**, Bridge, 0930 hours**

Kitano shuffled out of the elevator, obviously in need of sleep and a shave. He was up all night with Maria, who had been moved from the morgue back to Sick Bay. It was refreshing to have some happy news for a change, however Derek needed his bridge crew at their best for the trip home. If they were hit again by a sneak attack, he needed everyone to be wide awake.

"Kitano, a word, please?" Derek motioned towards his station.

"Ah, yes, sir, um... I know what you're going to say." Kitano looked down at the floor.

"You do? Well, then save me the trouble. What was I going to say?" He glanced over at Nova, who was giving him that "don't be an ass" look.

"Well, ever since Maria, er, died, I haven't been what you would call 'Star Force caliber.' I've been wandering around in a daze, not able to think about my job, and that put everyone at risk. When that Pri'Tan showed up in the morgue, I was ready to just lie down and let him kill me. I lost faith in my crew, and I lost faith in you. I was wrong, and I will accept any punishment you see fit."

"Really? I have to say you're way off the mark, but since you brought it up, I'll address that." Kitano looked surprised, but said nothing. "You're right, you have been walking around with a dark cloud over your head, but I won't hold that against you. If you had no feelings one way or the other, I wouldn't want you on this ship. You contracted a rare illness that we non-medical types like to call 'in love.'" Kitano blushed a bit, but nodded, then looked around to make sure no one else was watching. "I've made a lot of quick judgements in the past where it came to Nova's safety, and while I wouldn't call them all rational, I stand by them. You were brooding over the loss of Maria, and I understand. However, next time, ask me for a few days of R&R instead of saying you will be at your station and then not showing up. Deal?"

"Yes sir," Kitano said, apparently relieved that he was not going to be reprimanded in front of the entire bridge.

"As to what I WAS going to say," Derek began, "it occurs to me that we're going to be without a pilot for a few weeks. I recall that you are qualified to fly this ship."

"Yes, sir, however you may also recall -"

"Oh, I remember it quite vividly. If Mark hadn't stepped in, we would have carved a new river in that island. Is that why you don't want the driver's seat? I checked your records, and you've turned down any posting that involved being a pilot of anything larger than a shuttle."

"It makes me uncomfortable to have so many lives riding on my piloting skills. Or rather, the lack of them."

"And yet, when you're in charge of combat, you're also putting a lot of lives on the line. Everyone on this ship rides on your every command."

Kitano thought about this for a moment. "I never considered it that way."

"Give it some thought. It's only temporary – I am quite sure that as soon as she's up to it, Maria will boot you out of that chair herself."

"It can't happen too soon, sir. That she is able to, I mean." Kitano grinned as Derek waved him back to his station.

The weeks passed, strangely and happily without incident. As they approached Saturn, all anyone could do was to wait for news about the Titan repair station. Nova was back on her normal shift rotation, but Maria was still on limited duty. Kitano had agreed to fill in for her, despite her spending most of her time hovering over him.

"You realize," she would say, "I could do a better job flying this ship with one arm behind my back."

"I'll be happy to retie your arm sling so we can test that theory," he would reply.

"Sure, after you've unwound it from your mouth!"

It would go on like this for an hour or so, which at least provided some entertainment for the bridge crew.

"If they weren't so into each other," Eager said one morning, "they'd probably kill each other."

"We have a visual on Titan!"

The announcement brought simultaneous cheers from the crew, who ran towards any forward observation window they could find. The renewed confidence seemed to make _Yamato_ come alive, regardless that only a few actually knew why.

Derek had rushed to the bridge as quickly as he could. His bridge team was looking at him expectantly.

"Homer, I assume you've tried to raise someone down there?"

"I have, Wildstar, but so far no one's talking."

"Keep trying. They might be afraid to reply for fear it's a trick. Sandor, take a team down to the ship docks and see what there is to salvage." Sandor nodded. "IQ-9, you're with me. We're going to have a look around the command center. Eager, any signs of Pri'Tan ships out there?"

"Nothin' out there but dust," Eager replied.

"Good, with any luck it will stay that way. Anything larger than a tennis ball moves out there, you make sure to tell me about it." Derek stepped down from his command chair and headed for the elevator with Sandor and IQ-9 behind him.

**Saturn/Titan Command Center, 1445 hours**

Derek and IQ-9 were inside the control room trying to get any information from the computers. Unfortunately most of the equipment was smashed, and without power nothing worked anyway. IQ-9 was attempting to rig several systems together when he stopped and turned to Derek.

"Commodore Wildstar, I detect three life forms approaching from the south corridor. They will be at the control room door in approximately 45 seconds."

Derek grabbed his sidearm and huddled behind a desk. He looked over to the door and waited. "Lights out, IQ!" IQ-9's dome lights went dark and he stood motionless.

There was a grinding noise as the control room door was shoved aside. As the first person clambered in, Derek aimed his Astro-Automatic and shouted, "Drop it!"

The man dropped the prybar and held up his hands. "You're human?" the man asked.

Derek stood up. "Derek Wildstar, captain of the _Yamato_. Who are you?"

There were whispers for a few seconds, then finally one of them spoke loudly enough to be heard. "_Yamato_ was lost months ago."

"IQ, gimme some light here."

IQ-9 aimed a spotlight at the men. They squinted and shielded their eyes from the sudden brightness as Derek approached them slowly. "Do I look like a giant bug to you?" Derek asked.

"It's okay guys, I recognize him." Derek thought he placed the voice, but couldn't see the man's face.

"Where have you been?" the third asked.

"We're still sorting that out. We were exploring the Sirius System and got stuck in Galaxy M33. We returned to our own solar system about a month and a half ago. _Yamato_ is in desperate need of repairs. Are you all that's left here?"

"We were trying to find that out when we heard a ship coming into the hangar." The man speaking stepped forward and held out a hand. "Kevin O'Donnell, captain of the _Borealis_. Good to see a friendly face."

The two men behind him saluted. The one who had been holding the prybar spoke first, "Ensign Gene Porter, hangar maintenance group."

The last in the group dropped the salute and said, "Jordan Venture, communications."

"Venture," Derek whispered.

_My brother was on that ship!_

"Yes sir."

"You're..."

"I was, yes." Jordan showed no sign of emotion.

_He never came back!_

"I see." Derek shoved his memories into the back of his head. "Okay, unless you have any objections, you're coming with us." The three looked at each other, then nodded. "Very well then. Let's get out of here, you can fill me in later on what happened."

"_Yamato_, this is Sandor."

"Go ahead," Homer replied.

"I think the old saying goes, 'We hit the jackpot.' There's a battleship in drydock, the engine is intact. Bring the _Yamato_ into the adjacent dock and we'll start repairs immediately."

"Roger, Sandor."

"Oh, and let Wildstar know, the ship's name is the '_Odin_.'"

Homer looked back at Wildstar, who was smiling. "Understood, Sandor. _Yamato_ out." He turned to Navigation and said, "Kitano, do you think you can manage to get us into that repair dock?"

"Count on it!" he said, reaching for the control sticks.

Maria shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Does this thing have parachutes?"

**Rear Observation Deck, 2335 hours**

The door to the observation deck slid open, revealing a figure silhouetted against the window. Titan could be seen in the background; after a week of repairs, the ship was finally underway.

"Oh! Sorry," Nova said, "We didn't know -"

"It's okay," the voice said. The figure turned to face Derek and Nova.

"Venture," Derek said softly.

"Sir," Jordan said, waiting for Derek to move out of the way.

Nova whispered in Derek's ear, "I'll be in our quarters," and went back into the lift. Before Derek could protest, she was gone.

He turned back to Jordan and searched for something to say. He had seen the young boy every year at Remembrance Day, but they never actually spoke. Now, Mark's brother was on his ship. Derek hadn't exactly been avoiding him, but now that they were in the same room, the words did not come easily.

Venture spoke first. "I don't blame you, if that's what you're thinking."

"You don't?"

"I know you blamed your captain for your brother's death, and now you're expecting the same from me. No disrespect intended, but that's irresponsible. My brother made his own choice. No one forced him to join the Star Force."

"That's... true..." Derek said.

"How did he die?"

Derek remembered back to that battle against Emperor Lugarl. The _Yamato_ had landed on the _Uruku_ space fortress, and Dinguil fighters were attacking. Mark was on the deck trying to fend off boarders and was shot in a strafing run. He kept his injury a secret until the ship was safely away, and died at his post. Derek had told himself many times, had he only known about Mark's injuries... but it was pointless.

"He died defending this ship."

"Which is what he signed up for, right? What he swore to do when he became a member of the crew? Defend the crew, and Earth, at all costs?"

"Yes."

"Then you need to stop blaming yourself. You were no more responsible for Mark's death than Avatar was for Alex's."

"How..."

"It's the only reason I could think of to explain why so many years have passed and you haven't once come up to me at Heroes Hill." Jordan pushed past Derek, said, "Excuse me sir, I need to turn in. I have an early meeting with Orion. He said he might be able to put me on the duty roster."

"In engineering?"

"Yes sir. It's what I wanted to do, but they stuck me in communications for some reason."

"I see. Typical military red tape. Well, good luck."

"Thank you, sir."

"Please, call me -" The elevator door shut, cutting him off.

**Space Battleship **_**Yamato**_** Bridge, 0930 hours**

"Are we ready to return to Earth?"

Derek was standing, leaning on his console. Everyone on the bridge turned and nodded. He looked them all over – some still injured, yet at their posts and ready to jump into an unknown situation. He could ask for no finer crew. No better family.

"Very well. Prepare to warp to Earth. Maria?"

"Sir!" She turned to look back at Derek, wincing a bit as she strained her stitches.

"Are you sure you're up for this?"

"Yes, sir! After all, you just finished repairs on the ship, you think I'm going to let some rank amateur wreck it again?"

"At least I don't fly with the turn signal on for 27 light years," Kitano mumbled.

"_Muérdeme_," she whispered back. She turned to Derek and smiled. "I need to be here, sir."

Derek nodded, then sat down. "Very well. Prepare the ship for warp. Destination, Earth. Be ready for anything – we've had no contact with anyone, friend or foe, for some time now. There is no way to know what to expect."

Maria started throwing switches, and the engine began its power buildup. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard Santiago Airlines. Our flight time will be roughly 25 seconds, at a speed of -"

"Maria," Derek said with a cough.

"Yes sir," she said, pulling back the activation lever. "Warp!" she shouted.


	13. 13 Love, Don't Leave Scars

The ship reappeared from warp, and the crew looked out the window, some blinking at the sudden brightness.

"We're home," Nova said quietly.

"We did it!" Dash shouted.

Derek took a moment to look at their home. It looked so peaceful; it was a shame that they once again had to fight for it. "Okay, let's run the numbers. Radio?"

Homer gave a thumbs down motion. "Dead silence."

Derek frowned. "Anything large enough out there to be a ship?"

Nova shook her head. "Nothing."

"Homer, get me someone. Anyone. Preferably the Commander, but I'll talk to the cleaning crew if it means finding out what's going on down there."

"Trying all EDF frequencies."

"Try Gamilon frequencies as well," Derek ordered.

"Are we being jammed?" Kitano asked.

"As far as I can tell the signal is going out, there just isn't anyone down there to receive it."

Doctor Sane's voice came over the intercom, "Wildstar, you'd better get down here. There's something wrong with Ensign Venture."

"I'll be right down." Derek stood and looked down at Maria. "Maria, if nothing happens within the next ten minutes, take us into the Orbiting Dockyard."

"Yes sir."

Sick Bay – 1015 Hours

Derek stepped into the room and followed the sound of frantic sobbing. He looked behind the curtain to find Jordy lying in bed, a terrified look on his face, mumbling something incomprehensible.

"What's he rambling on about?"

"Orion brought him here. Ensign Venture says he saw his brother during the warp."

"What?" Derek looked down on the younger Venture. "Doc, leave me alone with him please."

Doctor Sane paused, then waved to his nurse. The two left, and Derek sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Tell me what happened."

Jordy seemed to calm down a bit and looked at Derek. "You... you believe me?" Derek nodded. "The doctor must think I am nuts."

"I doubt that. Doctor Sane has been on this ship long enough to know that we have ghosts."

"I saw Mark. I really did."

"When?"

"It was..." Jordy took a breath. "It was during the warp. I haven't been through all that many, so I always keep my eyes closed. You see weird stuff during a warp."

"Yes, I know. During my first warp from Earth to Mars I could swear I saw dinosaurs."

"Well, this time I had a feeling that I wasn't alone. I mean, sure, there were other guys around me, but this felt different. So, I opened my eyes, and there he was! My brother was standing in front of me!" He appeared to panic again, then held his breath and composed himself.

"Go on."

"Well, I was a bit freaked out. I tried to talk to him but I couldn't. I guess it was the warp, we're traveling faster than sound. He was able to talk to me just fine, but I don't understand what he said. I mean, I could understand the words, but I don't know what it means."

"What did he say?"

"He looked me right in the eyes and said, 'the sisters cannot be trusted.'"

Derek gasped. "Just that?"

"I have no idea what that means, but I am guessing it means something to you."

"Yes, it does, and if what you say is true, it drastically changes things."

"It happened!" Jordy sat up quickly. "I knew it, you don't believe me either!"

"Whoa, calm down, of course I believe you. I just mean that we've been fooled before by images and apparitions. We can't be sure that what you saw really was Mark."

"It... it was. I know it was. I can't explain it, but I just know."

"Okay. I trust your judgement – if you don't know your own brother, who would?" Derek patted Jordy on the shoulder and stood up. "Get some rest while you can. I have a feeling things are about to get interesting." He turned to leave and bumped right into Doctor Sane.

"Wildstar, a word please?"

"Of course, Doc." They stepped off into a corner.

"Look, I know I shouldn't have been eavesdropping, but I heard what the boy said."

Derek was not surprised by this. "And what do you think?"

"You know something about this."

"I do, but I can't really say at this time. Mark has appeared to me as well. So have others. This ship has its ghosts. I think you know that, Doc."

"Yes, I do. Captain Avatar has appeared to me a few times, but I thought, well..."

Derek laughed. "Bad batch of spring water?"

"Oh, you're funny, you are! I may be an old drunk, but I know what I saw."

Derek began to reply, but was interrupted by the intercom. "Wildstar, we have some activity out there. Approaching ships, too far off to identify."

"Okay, thanks Kitano, I am on my way back to the bridge." Derek looked at Doctor Sane and nodded. "Thanks, Doc. Let him rest a while, but send him back to duty when he's ready."

Derek stepped onto the bridge to see the a familiar blue face on the video panel. "Emperor Desslok! Good to see you survived."

"I've been through far worse than what those filthy bugs can throw at me," Desslok said with a laugh.

"Where is the Pri'Tan fleet now? I expected them to be here waiting for us."

"Since our last fight with them, we've heard nothing. We have been monitoring Earth communications since our arrival, but..."

"It's possible that everyone has retreated to the underground cities for protection. They would maintain radio silence at all costs."

"I see." Desslok closed his eyes in thought. "So what is our next move?"

Derek smiled. "Our next move is to flush them out. We're done running. This is our stand. We may not have much of a backup fleet, but we'll face them head on. We will win or die trying."

"Spoken like a true Gamilon, Derek Wildstar," Desslok said. "My fleet is at your disposal." The image went dark.

"So," Derek said, "once again, side by side with the Gamilons." He stood and walked towards the elevator. "I'm taking the Black Tigers out for a look around."

"My King." The warrior bowed reverently before his new ruler.

"Speak."

"The Destroyers have returned to Earth."

"Hmm, they are probably wondering why they cannot reach anyone. What of the Gamilon fleet?"

"Desslok has made contact with the commander of the _Yamato_. They intend to join forces against us."

"A futile gesture, but not unexpected. Desslok is, after all, a man of honor and feels a debt to the Earth people. It will be his undoing. He will die with his new allies." Lanis stood and looked out the large window behind the warrior. "Is there any indication that they know of our presence?"

"None, my King. A small group of fighters has left the _Yamato_, we assume as a scouting party. Should we ready an attack?"

"No. Let's just watch them a while. Let them wonder. Surely, they expected to find us near Earth, and it must be driving their young commander crazy trying to figure out where we are." Lanis smiled. "When their guard is down, we strike the killing blow. It will all be over before they know it has begun."

The warrior left, and Lanis turned to a figure in the corner. "I shall succeed where that old fool failed, and I will restore our honor." He got down on one knee and bowed his head. "I shall earn your forgiveness."

"See that you do," a hollow voice whispered. "Our patience is wearing thin."

Yamato Observation Deck, 15:40 hours

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Of course, although, I'll be honest, I have no idea why."

Kitano looked over to Maria. "You... I saw you..."

"Yes. I felt it too. The life, slipping away. I have no memory after that. Just waking up and seeing a bugman pointing a spear at you."

"And you've healed so quickly. Something happened to you."

"Yes." She leaned her head into Kitano's shoulder. _And someday, perhaps I can tell you what it was._

Captain's Quarters, 2200 Hours

"Derek, you need to sleep."

After several patrols reaching as far as the asteroid belt, Derek had returned and ordered all planes to return. The ship was docked in a floating repair platform for supplies and refueling; in the distance, large chunks of ice from the Aquarian Sea could be seen tumbling around each other.. There was still no contact with Earth, and all recon ships reported back that there were no signs of life anywhere. The underground cities were deserted, all ships were left unmanned, even the medical centers were empty.

"It just isn't possible," Derek choked. "Nothing at all left. No one. Not even bodies. Where did they all go?"

"Maybe they abandoned Earth." Nova began rubbing his shoulders.

"No. You know how hard it was for us to escape. There is no way an entire fleet of escape ships could have got away without casualties. We'd see wreckage. There would be bodies in the dockyards. Even a hyperon bomb would have left corpses. There is just... nothing. Nothing left."

"They may have all been taken. They took prisoners, and burned the dead."

"Why?"

"To demoralize us. To make us wonder." She walked to face Derek and looked into his eyes. "To keep us guessing – exactly what we are doing right now."

Derek thought on this. "They are playing with our minds, playing a game with us, and we're acting as they predicted."

"Right."

"So, we need to do something they wouldn't expect." Derek looked down at the floor. "Still, there's one other thing."

"What's that?" Nova had resumed her massage.

"What Jordy said. The sisters can't be trusted."

"If it was Mark, he wouldn't be wrong."

"But he is with Trelaina... or whatever her name really is. He'd know. Wouldn't he?"

Nova frowned, then jumped. Derek caught it.

"Another kick?"

"More like a backflip." She sat down. "I'm fine."

"I wish Mark was here to explain himself now. But he said we're on our own this time."

"If mankind is worth saving, we have to prove we can do it on our own," Nova grunted, trying to get comfortable.

Derek stood up to tuck her in. She looked up at him.

"Coming to bed?"

"No, I have too much on my mind. I'm going for a walk." He kissed her on the cheek and left the cabin.

The elevator opened, and he stepped out into the cold hallway. The environmental systems were set to simulate night conditions, so not only was the temperature lower but the lights were dimmed to save power. He shuffled down the hallway, letting his instincts guide him. He had hoped that maybe Celaeno would guide him as well, but she had been strangely quiet. He could still feel her presence, though.

He looked ahead of him and found himself at the door to the archives room. This was a set of computers designed for storage of all past events, everything the crew had discovered, all information on past battles, and Earth history. He wasn't sure what brought him here, but an idea struck him as he stepped inside.

Four minutes later, IQ-9 rolled through the door. "Reporting as ordered, Commodore."

"Great, thanks IQ. I have an assignment for you."

"Certainly it is something only a genius could do," IQ said in his usual tinny smugness.

"Of course. I need you to take all data related to what we know of the Seven Sisters and relate it to all known mythology, history, and any previous encounters we have had with alien life."

"A strange series of search parameters. I shall begin at once."

"Thank you." Derek sat in silence while IQ-9 ran his computations. Suddenly IQ-9 moved towards one of the archive consoles and started typing madly. There was a pause, then more typing.

"Interesting," the robot said.

"Find something?"

"More like what I did not find. The archive systems have been altered."

"How? More importantly, why?"

"I do not yet have an answer to either question. I was accessing some information I do not have in my internal storage, and noticed that some records are missing."

"Specifically which ones?"

"Several data points related to our first encounter with the Black Nebula Empire at Iscandar. However, I have this information in my internal memory so I can fill in the gaps."

"I have to ask why you happen to have this information so handy."

"You are not the first one to ask me to do research on past history."

"I see. Sandor had the same hunch as I do?"

"Precisely, however he did not consider the involvement of the ones called 'The Seven Sisters.' This new variable has produced interesting results."

"Well, by all means keep me in suspense."

IQ-9 may not have completely understood human sarcasm, but he was used to it. "Of course, sir. In checking all the data points, I find several things that, taken alone, are insignificant. However, collated together, they may hold some meaning. For example, the number seven holds importance – Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Seven Greek Sages, Seven Sisters. Seven was the sign of perfection in Egyptian beliefs. The Romans had a myth relating to seven hills."

"Does it relate in any way to the Twin Nebula? The Pri'Tan home galaxy?"

There was a response, but it was not IQ-9. "There were seven major planets in the Twin Nebula system before it was destroyed."

Derek turned towards the source of the voice."Who's there?"

IQ turned and aimed a spotlight at the dark corner. The figure covered his face, mumbling, "Away put your light, I mean you no harm."

"Razil?" The figure uncovered his face and stood, showing a rather sickly looking Pri'Tan. Derek pushed a chair to him and motioned to it. "How did you get on my ship?"

"When the Gamilons rescued your crew, they either did not notice me or saw me as no threat. I had nowhere to go so I followed. In all the confusion I came on your ship. I have been hiding since."

"A stowaway."

"I do not know that word."

"But you do know the word 'prisoner.'"

"Yes."

"Well, whether you are one or the other depends on your willingness to help us. You have been listening in on our conversation? Anything more you care to share with us?"

Razil settled back in the chair, then said, "There were seven Elders. Some say they were distended from the Old Gods. Others say the Elders became Old Gods. Much argument over which is true, but everyone agrees there were seven. Each one created a world in their own name. Over time these seven disappeared and our people began to bow to them. This was the cause of many wars. One such war had just ended before our encounter with the Gatlantean Empire."

"Are there any images, paintings, statues, any renderings at all of these Elders?"

"Not that anyone has ever seen. We just are told to believe."

Derek thought for a moment, then said, "What about the word 'Pleiades?' Does that mean anything in your language?"

"No, I do not know that word."

IQ-9 spoke up. "I have the information gathered from our encounters with the Black Nebula Empire. Do you recall the mining operation on Gamilon, the one that ended in disaster?"

"Of course. The explosion sent Iscandar spinning off into space."

"The flagship was named 'Pleiades.'"

"Which shows a possibility that the Black Nebula Empire had some contact with the Sisters. I suppose that isn't surprising. They said they visited other worlds, they may have established themselves in Black Nebula culture much as they did ours. But how does that link them with the Pri'Tan? Desslok said the two empires had minimal contact."

"According to the transcripts from that meeting, which I might add are marked as classified, Desslok's exact words were, 'We don't know if the two worlds ever made contact with each other.'"

Derek pounded his hand on the desk and shook his head. "Well, this may just prove it. This is not just a coincidence."

IQ-9 turned to Derek and said, "Commodore Wildstar, I believe you are approaching a conclusion from what humans call 'duck logic.'"

"Yet you came to the same result, illogical as it may appear."

"It comes as one of many possible results. There is not enough proof to confirm it. Even with this new connection involving the word 'Pleiades' I still must doubt the plausibility."

Razil looked at them both, clearly not understanding. Derek looked up.

"I know you're here. Show yourself. You cannot ignore me any longer." Nothing. "This is still my ship. You told me you would counsel me in exchange for letting you stay. Are you now going back on your word?"

Celaeno appeared before them, looking downwards.

"It's time for answers," Derek demanded.

Celaeno looked up at him with a look of shame. "Your conclusion is sound, Derek Wildstar. The Seven Sisters of the Pleiades and the Seven Pri'Tan Elders are in fact one and the same."


	14. 14 Divine Secrets of the Sisterhood

"So not only did you establish yourself in Earth mythology, but you also formed the basis of the Pri'Tan religion."

"Again, we did so unintentionally," Celaeno said, still not making eye contact.

"Bullshit," Derek said, shaking his head. "Maybe that's what you tell everyone who calls you on it, but I don't believe the same mistake could have happened twice. Which one happened first?"

"We made contact with the Pri'Tan first."

"I see." Derek leaned back and crossed his arms. "And from that, you decided that you enjoyed having people worship you, and moved to Earth."

"We did not visit Earth until much, much later. Your people were not interesting enough."

"You eventually saw a need for your services?"

"Your people had no guidance. No purpose. They were doomed to destroy each other through petty squabbles. We gave them purpose."

Derek stroked at his beard thoughtfully. "Yes, in the form of Greek and Roman deities. If history is even remotely accurate, several wars were fought in the names of their gods."

"We never told them to go to war over us. They had the free choice."

"Makes me wonder if the Roman Empire would have been quite as prosperous without your 'intervention.'"

"History is already written, and as such I cannot speculate on that."

Derek closed his eyes and shook his head. "There's more to this. There has to be."

"I..." Celaeno began, then stopped suddenly. She turned to the doorway, which had opened without anyone else noticing. "I wondered when you would find your way down here, sister." She put an angry hiss on the last word.

Derek looked to the doorway and gaped. "Sister?"

Maria shrugged. "I apologize for my deception. The time just wasn't right."

"Oh, I am getting a headache." He put his head in his hands and pulled at his hair. "You mean one of my crew has been a spy for the Seven?"

"No, sir. Only since my, well... my death." She walked over and leaned on the wall behind Celaeno. Here, in the dim light, did Derek notice a faint yellow glow to his former Ensign.

Caleano made a noise that sounded like a snort. "You learned nothing from Electra's mistakes."

"You're wrong, Sister. I did learn. I waited until the host was already deceased."

"So which one are you?" Derek asked.

"My name is Alcyone," she said in a slightly softer, lower pitched voice.

"Why did you take the form of my Ensign?"

"She died. It was convenient." Maria/Alcyone shrugged, as if she couldn't figure out why this answer wasn't so obvious.

"Yes, but why?" Derek was trying to contain his frustration at being used as a plaything again.

"Derek Wildstar, not all of us agree with what has transpired. I learned from Electra how to take a human form, only I did not wish to become trapped as she did, so I waited for the right time."

"You possessed the dead body of one of my bridge crew."

"Yes, in order to observe directly, and wait for this moment. The time when we can reveal to you what you must do to ensure the survival of your world."

"We?"

"As I said, not all of us agree with the path." Maria took a seat, exchanging a quick look with Celaeno before looking back at Derek. "Your Maria Santiago was killed by the Pri'Tan. I needed to be among you in order to help you, but until her death there was no opportunity. When she died, I went to her."

Derek shook his head. "The light we saw in the hallway. It was you."

"Yes."

"Why didn't you just come to us, as your sisters have done?"

"I needed a conduit. A mortal form. We cannot simply make up any form we wish. My sisters have all taken mortal forms, and that is how they appeared to you. Up until now, I have never taken mortal form. When Maria died, I borrowed her body in order to help you."

"Help us with what?"

She began to speak, then gasped as her eyes focused to Derek's left. Derek caught it, turned to follow her gaze, and gasped. Before him stood the forms of Trelaina and Mark.

"I tried to tell Jordy," Mark said softly. "The sisters cannot be trusted. Well, not all of them anyway."

Derek shook his head. "Not all of them? So which ones can I trust? It seems that all of them have deceived us at one time or another." He looked at Trelaina. "How do you fit into all this?"

Trelaina looked back and forth between Maria and Celaeno, then said, "I was unable to stand idly by and watch what my sisters were doing. They were manipulating cultures, controlling advances on one world while holding back those of others. All this for their own amusement. I spoke out against them, but my words meant nothing. I left the realm that my sisters inhabit and entered what you may call another dimension, where I watched and waited."

"Where Mark eventually joined you." Derek looked back at Mark, who was smiling. "So what changed? You and your sisters are worshipped by our enemy. Got bored with it, did you?"

Trelaina frowned and shook her head. "Please, I ask that you keep an open mind about this. I had to withhold certain facts in order to help you, but I have not lied to you."

Derek sighed and nodded. "Very well. As much as I want to know everything right now, I think this is best left until you can address the entire senior staff. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Trelaina looked to Celaeno and Maria, who both nodded. Celaeno disappeared without a word, followed by Trelaina and Mark.

"Alcyone," Derek began.

"I know what you are going to say."

"And?"

"I will speak with Tetsu before the staff meeting. It wouldn't be fair for him to find out what I am at the same time as everyone else."

"He's going to be devastated."

"It will hurt him, yes, but it is unavoidable." She turned and left the room, leaving Derek alone with IQ-9. He looked around to find that Razil had somehow managed to slip out unnoticed.

Rear Observation Deck, 0230 Hours

The door opened, and Kitano stepped through it. His eyes were still partly closed, and he was muttering to himself, but he stopped suddenly when he saw Maria leaning against the railing.

"Tetsu."

"Maria! You know, this is going to sound really strange, but..."

"I came to you in a dream and told you to come here."

"Um... yes. It was as if you were – oh. Oh no." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "You're still dead, and I've been talking to myself this entire time."

"Not quite. What I have to tell you will hurt, but you must know the truth."

Staff Room, 1100 Hours

Derek was seated at his usual place at the head of the long table. Down both sides of the table sat his senior staff: Nova, Eager, Sandor, Homer, Kitano, Maria, Orion, Doctor Sane, and Conroy. Derek cleared his throat and began.

"Okay, everyone, this is probably going to be the strangest staff meeting I have ever held. I assume you have all read my report about the Seven Sisters."

There were nods, mumbles, and one sleepy voice saying, "most of it."

"I realize this is a lot to take in all at once. Some of you may have difficulty accepting it. Well, sorry but it's about to get even worse. I now turn the floor over to our guests."

At this, Celaeno, Trelaina, and Mark appeared from nowhere. Responses to this were varied, but Kitano remained silent, staring down at the table. Then Maria stood, squeezed Kitano's hand, and joined her sisters. She turned to address the rest.

"After much discussion, we decided that I would speak for my sisters since I am a more familiar face. You all know me as your navigator, Maria Santiago. My name is Alcyone, and I am inhabiting this body in order to be among you." She paused for a moment, then said, "As I look around the room, I see mixed reactions – some of you are familiar with seeing ghosts, others not. You all know Mark Venture, of course." He waved to the group. "Some of you know my sister Electra as Trelaina from the planet Telezart. And to her left is Celaeno, who has been a part of your ship since it was raised from the sea bed eight of your years ago."

"Sister, before you begin," Celaeno interrupted, "Derek Wildstar, with your permission. Two more wish to attend." Derek nodded, and a few seconds later Merope and Sterope appeared behind their sisters. "Your records show them as Starsha and Astra of the planet Iscandar. They are, in fact, two more of the Seven. Sterope and Merope."

"Hello," Merope said timidly.

"Hush," Sterope hissed. "We're not supposed to say anything."

"Very well," Alcyone coughed. "I shall try to be brief, but there is a lot to cover. Millions of your years ago, the race you know as Pri'Tan became sentient. Just as humans became the dominant species on Earth, the Pri'Tan evolved to become the dominant species of their world. As time went on, they grew and changed to survive their harsh environment, evolving to be strong and hardy. They proliferated quickly, and soon their land became overcrowded. They began to fight over territory, breaking off into factions. These factions went to war with each other, and would have ultimately destroyed each other had we not stepped in.

"Some of us appeared to their leaders in various forms. We offered enlightenment and knowledge, and in exchange they gave us their faith. We chose the strongest tribes and helped them to control the others, until finally, many generations later, there was one ruler over all others. The conflict ended, allowing them to focus on other things, and with our guidance they eventually were able to reach to the stars. They colonized other worlds, until they had spread to six other planets in their system. They continued to explore and colonize other worlds, but none were noteworthy.

"It was about this time that we grew bored with the Pri'Tan. They were at peace with themselves, and we were no longer entertained by them. So we went in search of other worlds to play with, eventually settling on your Earth. As with the Pri'Tan, your people lacked a direction. They fought amongst themselves, with no one to unify them towards a common goal. Many had tried, but they were quickly deposed. We decided to bring Order to Chaos and attempted to mold your race much as we did the Pri'Tan. The results of this are apparent in your ancient beliefs in gods and goddesses. Many tales were written about events from this period, some based on true events. Your ship was once called _Argo_, so named for the tale of Jason and his quest for a mythical golden fleece. I am not here to confirm or deny your system of beliefs.

"It is our shared opinion that we have meddled for far too long. We used your race, as well as others, as toys. Pawns in a game that had no rules, no purpose, and no definitive end. We simply believed ourselves to be so powerful that all others were below us. Long, long ago, so long ago that even we have difficulty remembering it, my sisters and I were appointed as Watchers. While I cannot get into the details of this honor, suffice it to say that it did not allow for direct intervention in the various worlds of the galaxy. We broke that pact, and have fallen out of favor with other... beings. It has been a long path to earn their forgiveness, but one thing worked for us – during our interaction with your people, we ourselves changed and evolved. We began to feel what you call emotions. Some of us felt attachment, others affection, but overall we felt regret. Our actions have caused untold catastrophe upon your people, and we began to gain a sense of responsibility for it. We decided that the best thing to do was to leave you to your own devices, and so we left. And the years passed.

"We did still watch, however. We watched as you grew, learned, and created. We watched you go through various ages of discovery, and then noticed a disturbing trend – many of your greatest inventions were used to cause death and destruction. Some of us felt that we had not stayed with you long enough to give you a more noble purpose, while others said we had stayed too long. Either way, we could not go back. We were forced to witness the result of our handiwork – your race was destined to destroy itself. You almost did too – had the Gamilas Empire not taken notice to your planet and began their attack, you surely would have killed each other off with your atomic weapons.

"And so our paths became intertwined. You have run into us countless times, but most recently through your meetings with Sterope and Merope, Electra, and Taygete. It was not simple chance that these meetings took place. The Fates had a hand in all of this."

"So what of Maia?" Nova asked. "We haven't heard from her since we left your planet."

"A power struggle has been going on for a long time. Maia alluded to a set of rules that we must follow; those rules were set forth by Zeras. Maia believes that Zeras has been too soft and has been too inactive in the nature of the universe, and thus wishes to usurp him. Zeras has his followers, she has hers, and these followers are constantly at war with each other in the name of their gods."

"Zeras... Zeus?" Orion asked.

"Quite so," Alcyone nodded. "To put it into terms fitting your history, a civil war has broken out on Mount Olympus."

Derek made a snorting noise. "So, the gods are at war with each other. What are we supposed to do about this? We are, after all, 'mere mortals.'"

"Directly, nothing," Trelaina spoke. "There is nothing at all you can do that would affect any of us. However, while there are some codes that we have broken, there is one we absolutely must not. We cannot directly harm each other, nor can we harm a world that is under another's protection. To do so would mean sacrificing ourselves."

"And the Earth is under someone's protection?" Sandor asked. "Then why have we been attacked so many times?"

"The Earth is under Zeras' protection," Maria said. "None of us can directly act against Zeras or his followers. However, if some other world wishes to attack you, we can not interfere."

"But," Derek said, "there is nothing stopping you from recruiting others to do your dirty work for you, is there?"

"Correct. We are free to influence others, as we have done many times."

"Wait," Derek said, straightening up. "You're saying that, with all your power, you cannot harm us?"

Trelaina nodded. "Certainly we could, but we cannot. It is strictly forbidden. As long as the Earth is under Zeras' protection, Maia can take no action against the Earth or its people."

"But she can use the Pri'Tan to do this for her," Nova said.

"Which is her plan," Trelaina said. "While the rest of us have left the Pri'Tan alone, Maia has continued to speak to their leader. She has been planning for a long time to attack the Earth using the Pri'Tan as her instrument."

"And Zeras would do nothing to stop them?" Derek asked.

Maria nodded. "He couldn't even if he wanted to. He must abide by the same rules as the rest of us. The Pri'Tan are under Maia's protection, therefore he can take no direct action against them. It is Maia's hope that if the Earth was defeated and all life exterminated, he would lose interest in the Earth. She will use this to strengthen her argument that Zeras was unfit to rule and seek to replace him. If enough were in agreement, Zeras would be removed from power. We believe that the universe would be a much different place under her rule."

Sandor sat back in his chair and looked up. "So, even if we had no contact with the Black Nebula Empire, the Earth would still be under attack by the Pri'Tan anyway."

"Actually," Maria replied, "your encounters with the Black Nebula Empire were orchestrated by Maia. Do you really think it was a coincidence that, out of all the planets in the universe, the Black Nebula Empire would choose Iskandall and Gamilas for a mining operation?" She tried to stifle a chuckle here. "Forgive me for being so blunt, but only human arrogance would assume that some random world would choose your planet to just fly in and take over. Before Maia invented the idea of 'Iscandarium' and 'Gamilarium,' the Empire had never even heard of you, your galaxy, or anyone you've had contact with. Maia approached their leader, Skaldart, and told him that another empire was planning to attack, and his only way to counter was to gather special minerals that could only be found on two distant planets in the Sanzar System. She knew that Desslok would defend his home, and she counted on the Earth's response. Remember, we've watched various cultures since the dawn of time, and it is rather easy to guess how a people will respond to almost any situation. Desslok is quite predictable in his actions. What he calls honor, you call tenacity, we call stubbornness. While Maia did not know what form Earth's response would take, she was fairly certain it would be strong. By sending _Yamato_, you played right into her hands."

"And I destroyed their world, which destroyed the Pri'Tan homeworld." Derek looked down at the table.

"Actually," Maria said, "the destruction of Dezarium was not entirely your doing. Again, do you think it complete coincidence that the planet's energy source reacted so violently to your tachyon based weapon? All according to Maia's plan. Your weapon is powerful indeed, but to destroy an entire galaxy?"

In the back of his mind, Derek heard a quiet voice. _Wash your hands of it, my brave Uncle. You've carried this guilt on your soul for far too long. Find solace in the truth._

Nova looked to Derek and said, "The woman you met on the false Earth – Sada, was it? Could she have been.. ?"

Trelaina winked at Nova and gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Nova gasped as the entirety of it all hit her. "Maia used us to destroy an entire galaxy, just to get to Zeras?"

Maria shook her head. "To you, a galaxy is a large thing. To us, it's a tiny part of a vast cosmos. To Maia, destroying the Twin Nebula was as if you crumpled up a piece of paper and tossed it into the trash. There is a lot more paper where that came from. Know this: had you not destroyed the Pri'Tan home world, she would have found some other reason to send them to Earth. This war was going to happen one way or another."

"Which takes us right back to the idea that we have no control over our destinies," Nova said. "Certainly you can see why we have problems with all of this. All-powerful beings interfering in our lives from long before any of us were born, now telling us that no matter what we did, the outcome would still be the same."

Merope giggled. "Many of your planet's religions were based on the same idea, Nova Wildstar. No matter what you did, there was some divine plan that dictated what would happen to you. If you were bad you went one place, if you were good you went someplace else, or maybe you just stayed on Earth and came back as another person. In most cases, there was nothing at all you could do about it. Your people believed in this, and were okay with it for thousands of years. Yet, as soon as it happens on a galactic scale, suddenly people are upset." She stopped and looked back and forth between Sterope and Maria, who were staring at her. "What?"

"What she lacks in tact, she makes up for in accuracy," Maria said apologetically. "This is nothing new to your world. Since your war with Gamilas, you believe yourselves invincible. People now have faith in your rebuilt battleship. In essence, they worship the _Yamato_, and what it represents. Considering that Calaeno has been a part of your sacred idol -"

"Yes, okay, I got it," Derek said. "If Zeras is our protector, why has he not stepped in to help us?"

"Why do you think we are here?" Maria asked. "He asked us to act on his behalf."

Nova smiled. "More likely, he made a deal with you – you help us, you get your good standing back."

"Maia was right about you, Nova," Trelaina said with a smile. "Your perceptions go beyond human understanding."

"So he isn't going to appear out of nowhere, or take over the body of a dead crew member, and offer advice to me?" Derek scoffed.

"He doesn't do that anymore," Maria said. "He prefers to work through others. Besides, his form is a bit, well..."

"Outdated?" Calaeno offered.

"Yes, I suppose," Trelaina agreed.

"Outdated." Maria nodded. "After all, he hasn't taken mortal form since the Peloponnesian War."

"I see." Derek looked around the room. "What you have all heard is not to leave this room." Everyone nodded. "Okay then. So what is our next move?"

Sandor spoke up first. "We still don't know where the people of Earth have gone."

Trelaina replied. "They never left Earth. Maia has hidden them from your view, much in the same way we created a planet for you to land on for our first meeting. Likewise, the people of Earth have no idea that you are in orbit."

Eager chuckled. "Probably to prevent any uprisings. If word got out that we were up here..."

"Quite so," Maria nodded.

"So they are safe?" Derek asked.

Maria shrugged. "For now, although that will most likely change depending on your next move. No doubt Maia knows of our meeting, and will advise the new Pri'Tan ruler accordingly."

"Can you remove this illusion?" Sandor asked.

"Yes, quite easily." Maria replied smugly.

"Very well, don't do anything yet," Derek said. "There is something we need to do first."

Planet Gatlantis – Bed Chambers of Emperor Dorzal

"Emperor Dorzal!"

"Ssnnxxzzzz..."

"Emperor Dorzal!"

"What? Who's there?" He opened his eyes and sat up quickly.

"Emperor Dorzal, I am Trelaina. Trelaina of Telezart."

Dorzal looked across the room at the shimmering figure. "You! What do you want?"

"Dorzal, I am here because you need me."


	15. 15 The Belly of the Whale

Space Battleship _Yamato_ – Main Bridge, 1700 Hours

"Okay then," Derek said. "Maria, remove the barrier. Let's see Earth."

There was no movement on her part. No gesture, no wave of the hand, the Earth simply changed in front of them. The once empty planet now revealed hundreds of Pri'Tan warships in orbit, along with the wreckage of numerous Earth vessels. Most land areas were smoldering, and a scan of the cities showed chaos and panic. What remaining population had not managed to escape into hiding underground was being rounded up and corralled into detention areas. Those who refused were tortured and killed.

There was a dead silence as the crew took this in.

Sandor was finally able to speak. "If we can see the Pri'Tan, they can probably see us."

"They have always known we were here," Maria said. "We were no threat to them as long as they remained hidden. Now, however..."

Two of the Pri'Tan ships broke off from the rest and began heading towards the _Yamato._

"They'll be in range in 4 minutes," Eager announced.

"Which means we are already in their range," Derek said. "If they were going to attack, they would have done so."

"Incoming message, Wildstar." Homer flipped a switch and the image came onto the main screen.

Derek stood and saluted. "Good to see you, Commander."

Commander Singleton looked down on the bridge crew. "Commodore Wildstar, you have no idea how relieved we all are to see you. I am sure I don't need to tell you what has happened here since you left Earth."

"We are looking at it now, Commander. It's not a pretty sight."

"How is _Yamato_ and her crew?"

"We still live on, Commander. We still fight on."

"Good to hear, Wildstar. I hope you have a -" The image was cut off, then replaced by the face of a Pri'Tan.

"Yesssss, good to hear, Wildstar. I would rather my prey be strong enough to fight. There is no pleasure in a mercy killing."

Derek was nonplussed by the posturing. "To whom do I owe the honor?"

"Vrlikk."

Derek looked down to Homer. "Was that his name, or did he just sneeze?"

Vrlikk didn't find it as funny as Homer did. "Consider yourselves lucky I have orders not to fire, human."

"Really? Who is pulling your strings this time?"

"My orders come directly from King Lan-Sha'Nath himself."

"I see. That is indeed an honor! We've apparently made quite a name if the King himself is giving the orders. Or perhaps his generals are just too stupid to think on their own?" Derek sat down, making sure to show his amusement.

"You dare..." The screen went blank.

Derek looked to Sandor. "Now."

Sandor flipped a switch, and the ship was covered in a white reflective coating. The incoming blasts from the two Pri'Tan ships were reflected back, vaporizing them.

"Nice," Derek said.

"Too bad we don't have the power to maintain that shield indefinitely," Sandor said as he shut the coating off.

"It does come in handy in a pinch though," Derek mused.

"Incoming transmission, Wildstar. This one's from the King himself."

"Saw that coming. Put it on, Homer."

King Lan-Sha'Nath appeared. He was seated on a decorated throne, flanked by guards.

"Hello again, Lanis," Derek said as he stood up. "Sorry about the mess we left in your throne room, but we had other places to be."

A snicker, followed by, "You shall address me as King Lan-Sha'Nath, human."

"Fine, fine, have it your way King. So where are you hiding? I have to say I am surprised to find the Earth is still here. All this talk and yet here we still sit on opposite sides of a viewscreen. Perhaps you're not as mighty as you would like us to believe?"

"Fool. I merely wanted you present when I destroy your world. First, I must ensure you can no longer interfere! Behold, the swarm!" He turned to face something off the viewer, and shouted, "_Polistes_, attack!"

"Wildstar!" Eager shouted. "Hundreds – no, thousands of ships coming out of warp! Looks like someone kicked over a beehive!"

The main viewer changed to a tactical display, showing their position quickly being surrounded by an enemy fleet.

Derek slammed his communications panel. "Everyone, brace for attack! All gun stations, go! Black Tigers, take-off!"

A response from one of the gunnery units came almost immediately: "They're way too fast for us to hit them!"

Sandor was studying data coming in from the radar. "They're unmanned craft, very fast. The weapons on each one aren't that powerful, but if they attack in a large group they could pick us off a section at a time and there's nothing we can do about it. Our planes won't be able to keep up with them."

"Wow! Something big's comin' out of warp!" Eager hit a switch and the viewscreen changed.

"What … IS that?" Derek's jaw dropped.

A large cylindrical object appeared through a warp-gate and floated towards the Earth.

"Whatever it is, it's the size of the moon!" Eager was trying to make sense of his screen. "I can't get any data on it, but if it hits the Earth..."

"Wildstar, look!" Sandor was pointing at the object, which was changing shape. The sides were opening up to reveal large claws and legs, and the back curled over on itself to form a tail.

Derek was almost at a loss for words. "A giant scorpion? That's what they throw at us?" He looked to Eager. "How about now? Anything?"

"Nothin'. I can't tell what's a weapon and what's an engine on that thing."

"Okay then. Until we know what we're up against, I say we avoid it."

"Might be too late for that!" Kitano shouted. A large energy beam, emanating from the stinger on the tail, was heading right for them. Sandor hit the reflector shield just as the beam hit, but the force of the blast sent the _Yamato_ spinning out of control.

"Get control back!" Derek shouted, picking himself up from the floor.

"The shield was able to protect us from most of it, but it won't work a second time!" Sandor yelled. "The relays are completely burnt out!"

Homer dragged himself back to his chair and began reading his screens. "Engine room reports main engine is out!"

"Any more good news?"

"Side turrets are being knocked out by the swarm!"

Two thoughts were running through Derek's mind – they would either be blasted to dust by the scorpion or picked off a piece at a time by the smaller ships. "Maria, get us away from that scorpion. If it opens up again -"

Eager interrupted. "Something else is coming out of warp, heading right for us!"

"Another one?"

There was a thud as the ship shook, then everything outside went dark. Derek suddenly had the uneasy feeling of going to warp. He looked down at Nova, who was smacking her radar globes in an attempt to clear the static. He then looked over the rest of the bridge.

"Looks like we're inside a Gatlantean dreadnaught," Sandor said. "They must have scooped us up without even stopping."

"Nice precision flying there," Derek said. "Remind me to give the pilot a medal of some sort. Homer, see who's in charge of the ship, I want to speak to him."

"Right away, Wildstar."

The viewscreen lit up, and the face of Emperor Dorzal appeared. "Greetings, Commodore Wildstar. You are inside my royal flagship, _Arishna's Hand._"

"Thank you for the rescue, Emperor," Derek said, wiping his brow. "I wasn't expecting you to get involved."

"You have friends in high places it seems," the Emperor said with a smile. "She was quite convincing. I will meet you outside your ship shortly." The screen went dark.

"Okay then," Derek said, stepping towards the elevator. "Repairs, casualties, you guys know the drill. I've got a meeting with royalty."

"So what did Trelaina say?" Derek asked. Emperor Dorzal led Derek down a hallway, followed by an entourage of guards and technicians.

"Many things, but the most important was that I had a chance to end this war once and for all. The only condition was that I had to ally with the Earth to do it. I will succeed where my mother and... brother... failed."

"What's your plan?"

"Originally, we only had one option - to open up with everything we have. According to Trelaina, your ship plays an important role. You have to be the one to make the final blow. She could not get into specifics about why, just that it was crucial. Does this make sense to you?"

"I can't recall the last time anything made sense, Emperor, but that hasn't stopped me."

"Spoken like a true leader," Dorzal laughed. "I am going to turn this over to Uoris, our head engineer. He has an idea that may work, crazy as it sounds. I have to order some fleet movements to prepare for our final encounter." He bowed his head and left with his body guards.

"Good to meet you, Commodore Wildstar," Uoris extended his hand. "If this is to work we must get started now, as your ship will require some extensive modifications."

"Wait, modifications? What kind of modifications?"

"When you were on board the _Brachtu_, your ship was scanned for its technological capabilities. Threat assessment, you understand."

"Of course."

"We have some intel on those tiny ships that attacked you. They are much too fast for conventional weapons. By the time you could move into range, they could change direction, be behind you, and destroy you before you could get off a shot."

"Exactly what I was thinking. Do you have any ideas how we can defend against that?"

"Perhaps an indirect attack would be better. You have a shielding system that can be adapted to various situations."

"Well, yes, but it's still largely experimental, and thanks to whatever it is that hit us, non-functional."

"I believe we can use that to generate a plasma field around your ship that will make you impervious to the swarm's attack. You're familiar with the shield on Zordar's Battle Comet?"

"VERY familiar. We lost a lot of ships to that damn thing," Derek said.

"Imagine a smaller version installed on your ship. You could ram your way through an entire fleet without taking any damage at all. The gravitational vortex field would pull in the swarmer ships like a black hole."

One of the other techs broke in. "There is a risk though! Such a shield would require an enormous amount of power! Probably more than your ship's engines are capable of generating."

Derek felt that familiar, almost annoying, prodding in the back of his mind. He smiled. "Gentlemen, power should not be a problem. I'll introduce you to Sandor; you can work out the specifics with him."

Captain's Quarters, 0230 Hours

"The modifications are going smoothly, Wildstar," Sandor reported. "We'll be able to return to Earth within six hours."

"Good to hear, Sandor, thank you." Derek flipped off the communicator and walked back to his bed.

"What guarantee do we have that they aren't already tearing the Earth to pieces?" Nova asked.

"The King is proud and arrogant. He wants us to see him do it, or else it holds no meaning. It's the only reason he hasn't already killed us all. He has the means and the firepower to do it ten times over, yet here we are."

"Yes. Here we are." Out of habit, Nova turned to stare out the large domed window on their quarters, but all she could see was the inside of the _Arishna's Hand_. "I can't wait to go home."

"If this works, we'll be home soon."

"I can have our baby on Earth." Nova was smiling as she nodded off.

"And we can rebuild everything all over again," Derek mumbled.


	16. 16 Endgame

Main Bridge, 1030 Hours

(Still inside the _Arishna's Hand_ Docking Bay)

"So let me get this straight," Kitano began. "_Arishna's Hand_ is going to drop us off at Mars, then warp back to Earth to distract the giant scorpion-thing. Meanwhile, we're going to activate the comet shield and plow through their lines like a bowling ball? Do I understand correctly?"

"Essentially, yes, that's the plan," Derek answered. "The shield will not only protect us, but it will suck in those swarm ships and destroy them, much like the Comet Empire did to our defense fleet at Saturn."

Kitano looked down at the floor, then shook his head. "Were this any other ship, I would say that's a suicide run. But, this isn't any other ship."

"And you know we have help with this," Nova said. "They promised."

Maria nodded, and placed her hand on Kitano's shoulder. "I am here, as are my sisters. We will see you through this. I suppose in the ancient days of Greece, the gods would make flowery, pompous statements as you rushed off to die in battle." She raised her fist and shouted, "this is our chariot, and you shall be our hammer!" She shook her head, mumbling, "Sounds positively ludicrous, actually."

"That's okay," Derek said with a smile. "I'd rather have the help than the talk any day." He turned to IQ-9. "Are all stations ready?"

"Yes, Commodore Wildstar. All stations report ready. Just awaiting your order."

"Excellent. Tell all hands to stand by." He turned to Emperor Dorzal. "Emperor, my thanks. I don't think we could do this without your help."

"We are indebted to each other, Commodore. May Arishna smile upon us all." He shook Derek's hand, then waved to a control platform. They signaled back and turned to their stations.

"That's our cue, guys. Let's go." Derek led the others back onto the ship. When the Emperor was out of earshot, Derek leaned towards Maria and asked, "Arishna's not one of yours, right?"

Maria either didn't hear him or chose to ignore him, as she and Kitano walked away.

When they got to the elevator, Kitano raised his hand. "You go on ahead, we'll catch up with you." Derek nodded and the elevator door closed behind him. Kitano turned to Maria and looked into her eyes. "I know you're not Maria, but I have to ask you something."

She looked at him and said, "We don't have time -"

Kitano shook his head. "I have to know! You have access to all Maria's thoughts and emotions, yes?"

"Yes."

"Are you able to allow her to speak, as she would? Or can you act as she would?"

"What are you asking of me?"

"I want you to kiss me. As her. As she would."

She cocked her head to one side. "For what purpose?"

"Most of the people on this ship have loved ones back home. All I have is... well, was Maria. I want to be reminded of what I am fighting for."

"This is something we always found curious about your species. Love is not only your greatest strength, but also your greatest weakness. We were never able to fully understand how one single emotion can both empower and destroy. How so much can be simultaneously gained and lost by a simple feeling."

"Perhaps because love is anything but a simple feeling."

"Perhaps. While my sister Electra learned the beauty of love, and is able to share it with one of your kind, I have never bothered to explore it. However, from what I have learned from your Maria during my short time in this form, I find her feelings for you... intriguing."

"So, can you do it?" Kitano had a hopeful look in his eyes.

"I will do this for you." She closed her eyes, then opened them. Her expression changed, and her eyes immediately began to tear up.

"Tetsu," she said.

"Maria," he said, taking her in his arms. "It's you."

"Sí," she said. "It's me. It's the strangest feeling. I know I am no longer alive, and I know that my body is now being used by this... this... I don't even know what to call it. I know everything that has happened, but I have no control over any of it. I am watching myself like I am watching a movie."

"Do you still... feel?"

"Yes, I do. I still love you, Tetsu." She looked up and kissed him deeply. When they broke away from each other, she said, "Thank you for letting us have this moment."

Kitano smiled, and said, "Thank you for coming back to me, even if it is the last time."

"I have to go now. I will always love you."

"And I, you, Maria."

"But if you ever tell anyone that I cried over you, I will come back and kick your ass. I don't care what form I have to take to do it." She smiled, sniffled, then closed her eyes. When they opened again, they were once again cold and empty.

"I am sorry to cut your reunion short, but we have a lot of work ahead of us."

"I understand, Ma- I mean, Alcyone. Thank you for indulging me."

"It was to both our benefits. By experiencing her feelings, I learn more about them. Now, let us return to the bridge." She pushed the call button, and the lift door opened before them.

"We've come out of warp! Release the docking clamps and open the bay doors!"

_Yamato_ was free once more. The proud ship dropped out of the docking bay, and started her main engine just as _Arishna's Hand_ returned to warp.

"Okay guys, take us home." Derek sat down and looked out at Mars. In about 1 minute, they would be in front of Earth. In a minute and 30, they would be streaking towards it, taking out everything in their path, much as their enemy did years before. Sandor wanted to work with hybrid technology, well here it was.

Derek looked towards Maria. "Warp."

Command Center, _The Judicator_

"My King, the Gatlantean ship has returned."

"Destroy it. Perhaps Dorzal thinks he has something to gain by joining with the Destroyers? It is no matter. They shall all die this day. How convenient that we kill two enemies in one stroke."

The general arose and turned to the gunnery control team. "Destroy that vessel! Your King commands it!"

"In His Name!" they shouted in response. The giant scorpion, _The Judicator_, turned towards _Arishna's Hand_ and began firing the massive tail weapon.

Bridge, _Arishna's Hand_

"Direct hit, midsection! Structural damage, closing bulkheads to affected areas."

"Lower all siege cannons and fire!"

_Arishna's Hand_ was larger than the other dreadnoughts in the fleet. It was faster, had more cannons, and where the standard dreadnaught had one retractable siege cannon, _Arishna's Hand_ carried three. At this moment, they were lowering from the bottom of the ship and aligning themselves with the approaching scorpion.

"Main batteries charged, sir! Firing now!"

All three siege cannons fired at once, their beams combining and striking the "head" of the Pri'Tan ship.

"Direct hit! No effect!"

"Pathetic fools!" King Lan-Sha'Nath laughed. "Did you really think it would be that simple? We've been fighting you long enough to know what your weapons are capable of! You really believed we would bring out our crowning achievement, and not make it impervious to your cannons? Ha! Your species deserves to die. I am doing the universe a favor by eliminating you!"

"My King, more of their battleships are arriving."

"Of course, they believe there is strength in numbers. Let's see where they are."

A large panel displayed the area around the Earth, as several dreadnoughts appeared out of nowhere. They immediately began blasting away at the Pri'Tan ships in orbit, and the Pri'Tan returned fire.

"Hmm." King Lan-Sha'Nath rubbed his arm as he thought. "An odd attack pattern. He's putting his ships on the far side of the planet. It's as if he's not interested in this ship."

Mars Orbit

"Sandor, is the shield ready?"

"You know my opinion on untested technology."

"I'll have to take that as a 'yes,'" Derek said. "We're in position. The swarm is focused on _Arishna's Hand._ This is it." He drew in a breath, closed his eyes, and said a quick prayer. Then he realized he didn't even know who he was praying to anymore and laughed. "Okay, let's do this. Activate the comet shield, full engines ahead."

"Right!" several voices said. Sandor threw some switches as Maria yanked the throttle towards her.

_Yamato_ shimmered and turned white, then seemed to explode in a flash of color. As it began to move forward, the comet-like spiral shield surrounded the ship, emanating from the muzzle of the wave motion gun. It streaked through space, heading towards the Earth.

"My King, there is an object approaching from the asteroids."

"Show me," King Lan-Sha'Nath said, rising to stare at the screen.

The screen changed view to show a comet heading right towards them.

"Another Battle Comet? I thought we destroyed them all!" King Lan-Sha'Nath looked ready to strangle his entire bridge crew.

"No, my King, it's too small to be a Battle Comet. It does appear to have the same outer shielding though."

"What... IS... that... ?"

"Commodore, we're approaching Dorzal's flagship," Kitano shouted.

"Good. Maria, steer us right into the center of that swarm. We'll take out as many as we can, then come around for another pass."

"Yes, sir." It was impossible to see where they were going with the shield active, but Maria didn't seem to be affected by it. She closed her eyes and adjusted the ship's course, taking it right into the swarm. The smaller ships were sucked into the shield's vortex, disappearing like a fly hitting a bug zapper. Several Pri'Tan warships began firing on the shield, but their weapons were ineffective.

"Shield status?" Derek asked.

"Holding," Sandor reported. "Power is stable."

"Good. Maria, large swarm at 2:00. You know what to do."

"Taking us in," Maria said, closing her eyes for a moment. She steered the ship into the next swarm, destroying them instantly. Several escort ships got too close and tried to steer away from the approaching comet, but were too late. _Yamato's_ shield wasn't powerful enough to disintegrate the larger ships, but it did carve away large chunks. The enemy ships were left floating in space, lifeless.

"That last group drained quite a bit of power from the shield," Sandor said. "I suggest we stick to the smaller ones."

Maria looked like she was in pain. "We agree, Derek Wildstar."

Derek nodded. Calaeno and Alcyone were feeding their energy into the Wave Motion Engine to help power the shield, but he knew they could not do so indefinitely. Maria warned him that their power was limited in their current forms, but it should still be enough to get the job done. He looked to the next group off in the distance. "Okay, concentrate on the swarm ships."

Maria turned the ship into the next large group. She said, gritting her teeth, "I think we can do one more pass, sir."

"Understood." _Hang in there._

The ship sped through the next group, which tried to scatter but were sucked into the shield. Suddenly the spiral shield flickered and dissipated as the Wave Motion Engine spun down and was silent.

"I'm... sorry..." Maria said, as she dropped out of her seat and collapsed to the floor. Six Pri'Tan ships began firing on the disabled _Yamato_ as it tumbled out of control.

"Maria!" Kitano shouted, running to her.

"IQ-9, take the helm! Get the engine started and steer us away from those ships!"

"Yes, sir!" IQ said as he rolled to the navigator's station. Kitano was dragging Maria's body to the back of the bridge when she put a hand on his shoulder.

"No. I must remain here."

"But," Kitano began.

"I'm fine," she replied. "I must stay here." She struggled to her feet and made her way back to her seat. Placing a hand on IQ-9's domed head, she nodded and said, "thank you." The robot rolled away as Maria took her station. "Derek Wildstar, the swarm ships are heading towards us."

"Okay, plan B." Derek looked to Sandor.

"While we were destroying them with the shield, I was observing the rest of the swarm's behavior. The swarm consists of thousands of remote controlled drones. Their control center is on one of the larger craft, which I am trying to narrow down using their own control signal waves. When they change their attack pattern, I can detect a change in the signal."

"How long will it take to find the control ship?"

"Not much longer. It'll be faster if you can bait them into attacking us."

Eager interrupted, shouting, "That shouldn't be too hard, here they come!"

Maria grabbed the mic and shouted, "Okay, guys, let's get those engines going!"

"We're trying, but the flywheel won't start!"

"Then get out and push! We have to move, now!" She sat back down, then realized Kitano was staring at her. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said with a grin. "You just sounded a lot like... well..."

"Sorry, I don't know what came over me," she replied, throwing switches and pounding on the console when nothing happened. Finally, the engines came back online and she was able to stabilize the ship. "Here they come," she announced.

The side turrets opened fire, which had little effect on the swarm. Sandor turned to Maria and said, "One more pass should do it!" Maria nodded and turned the ship back into the swarm. The ship shook from the rapid, multiple attacks. "Got it!" Sandor said as he punched some keys. The viewscreen changed to show a small group of ships near the moon. "That's it, the one with the large dome. Take that out and the swarm ships will be neutralized."

"Kitano, charge the Wave Motion Gun. Maria, aim us at that ship."

The ship changed direction, and the Wave Gun began charging. Almost instantly, the control ship and its escorts disappeared into warp gates.

"Exactly as I expected. Stand down the Wave Gun. Nova, where did they go?"

"They're behind us now, about 600 megameters."

Derek chuckled. "Still within firing range, but by the time we spin around for another shot, they'll move again."

"They're playing with us," Kitano said.

Derek looked at the ship and thought for a moment, then looked at a tactical screen. "It might work. Homer, get me Desslok."

"Right!" He hit a few buttons, then turned back to Derek and nodded.

"Emperor Desslok, I am sending you the location of the control ship for the _Polistes._ Can you take it out from your position?"

A minute or so passed, then a reply: "Count on it, Derek."

"Derek," Nova said, "The Pri'Tan can monitor our communications. They'll know what you're up to."

"Exactly." Derek nodded and smiled.

"My King."

King Lan-Sha'Nath turned to his communications officer. "Yes?"

"The Gamilon fleet has been asked to destroy the _Polistes_ control array."

"Move the control array to the far side of the planet. It will still be in signal range of the swarm but far enough away that Desslok cannot do any damage to it."

"At once!"

Derek stood, waiting. Then, as he expected, a warp gate opened and the control ship, along with three escort ships, disappeared into the gate. "Okay, they're gone. Find them."

Nova scanned for a moment, then said, "They're on the far side of the planet. Position 42 by 71."

"Do we have a line of sight on them?"

"Yes," Nova replied, "but as soon as we aim at them, they'll just warp out again."

"Excellent. Homer, contact Desslok. The message is 'reflex gun.'"

"Done."

"Maria, turn starboard 67 degrees and hold position."

"Yes sir."

"Wildstar! Desslok's firing on us!"

"Good. Sandor, activate the reflective coating."

Sandor flipped the switch, and the _Yamato_ was once again protected by a shield. The energy from the Desslok Cannon hit the side of the _Yamato_, then was redirected towards the control ship. Warp gates appeared, but the ships couldn't react in time – they were consumed in the blast.

"Ships destroyed!" Kitano cheered.

Nova followed with her report: "The swarm ships have all stopped dead!"

"Good. Be ready, they may have a backup plan."

The ship rocked with sudden explosions.

"Looks like the Pri'Tan are throwing everything they have at us!" Kitano shouted.

"Evasive maneuvers! Counter attack!"

As the lights flickered from a direct hit on the bridge, Homer looked up to Derek and reported, "Commodore, I have a message from a ship identifying herself as _Prometheus_!"

Sandor and Derek looked to each other. "Wildstar! Is it possible?"

"Homer, put it through." Derek looked up at the main panel as a bearded man appeared. He saluted as he spoke.

"Commodore Wildstar, I am Captain Alexi Rolaski." Derek stood and returned the salute. Rolaski continued: "When _Yamato_ disappeared, I was tasked with building a defense fleet in order to protect the Earth. I gathered what few ships we had, including a redesigned version of your old prototype, and stationed them at the Mars Shipyard. While I followed my orders to the letter, I never truly believed that our meager fleet would be any match to that of the Pri'Tan. That has now changed. _Yamato_ has returned, and with it, our hope. I place my fleet under your command, Commodore."

"Thank you, Captain, we'll need all the help we can get for this. How functional is the _Prometheus_? As you are well aware..."

"I understand your concern, Commodore. I will not make my father's mistake. This ship is battle ready."

"Excellent." In the distance, Derek saw several flashes of light as Rolaski's fleet warped into the area.

"What are your orders?" Rolaski asked.

"For now, you can try to keep that fleet off us. Any ideas you may have about that giant bug, I'd love to hear them."

"My fleet is arriving now. Rolaski out." As the ships appeared, they began attacking the Pri'Tan vessels. The _Prometheus_ appeared last, but did not attack.

"What's he waiting for?" Kitano asked.

Sandor's frown could be heard across the bridge. "I hope he isn't going to -"

The _Prometheus_ began firing a series of wave-motion blasts at the approaching fleet. As each ship was picked off, the _Prometheus_ would change position slightly, then fire again.

"Well, I'll be... it works!" Sandor cheered. "They got it to work!"

Kitano pointed out the window. "Wildstar, the giant scorpion is moving towards the Earth."

"Which means the King should be on to gloat in a few seconds."

The viewscreen lit up and the smug face of King Lan-Sha'Nath appeared. "Enjoy your brief victory, Destroyers. _Polistes_ was merely a distraction while we brought _The Judicator_ to full power!"

_Of course it was,_ Derek thought. "So now what? Your giant bug is going to poison the Earth?"

"Why, how did you guess?" He chittered as the screen went dark.

The giant scorpion descended on the Earth, its large legs touching down and burying themselves. Tidal waves rose up and crashed into the coastlines, flooding cities and wiping out small towns. The land cracked open, swallowing buildings and roadways. Then the large cannon on the tail fired on the Earth's polar cap, causing it to crack and melt.

Kitano turned and asked, "Is there any chance that a maximum energy blast from the wave motion gun could knock that thing loose?"

Derek closed his eyes and frowned.

Sandor looked back to Kitano and said, "I doubt it. I think we'd do more damage to the Earth than to their ship."

Kitano looked back out at the Earth and shook his head. "Dammit. We have to get it away from the Earth before we can attack it."

Maria stood and turned to face Derek. "He will help."

"He who?" Derek looked back at her.

"Him. Zeras. He has witnessed your bravery and your determination, and He is pleased. He will help you."

"How? Is he going to destroy that thing?"

"No. He cannot take direct action while Maia is on board. However..." She turned to face the Earth.

The Earth began to glow, then there was a flash as the scorpion's energy beam was turned back on itself. The tail section exploded as _The Judicator_ disengaged from the planet.

"Unbelievable," Sandor gasped.

"It's the break we needed," Kitano said. He stood and looked to Derek. "Wildstar? The wave gun?" Derek appeared not to hear him, so Kitano raised his voice. "Commodore?"

Shaking his head, Derek replied. "Fine. Do it. Maximum energy. Remove all safeties. We're only going to get one shot at this."

"It won't be enough," Maria said, softly.

"It has to be. It's all we have," Kitano said, clenching his fist.

"No. It is more complicated than that. It doesn't matter how much energy you have, a conventional weapon simply will not work."

Sandor jumped up and snapped his fingers. "Wildstar, I just had an idea. Remember the energy absorption system? We could connect it to the reflective shield to collect the energy from the weapons of the other ships, then fire it all out through the wave motion gun. That would make sure we concentrate all the energy at an exact point."

"Can the wave motion gun handle that much power?" Derek asked.

Maria turned to face Derek. "We can make sure it can, but -"

"Very well," Derek said. "If that's the only answer, then so be it. Make the necessary preparations."

Derek relayed the plan to the other ships, which took up a circular formation around the _Yamato_. A few minutes later, Sandor announced that the necessary changes had been made to the shield system.

"Anything from _The Judicator_?" Derek asked.

"Nothing," Eager said.

"They have to know we're mounting an attack. What are they doing?"

"Making repairs, I would guess," Sandor said.

Suddenly the scorpion began to flex its legs.

"Looks like it's coming back online." Derek picked up a communicator. "Attention all ships. This is it. Begin your energy charge and be ready to fire on my command."

A voice came over the intercom system. "Destroyers! Do you really believe all the energy you can muster will be enough? Our Elders shall come to our aid! They will protect us! Do your worst!"

"I intend to," Kitano said, grabbing hold of the trigger.

Derek stepped down from his command chair and approached Kitano. "Once again, the fate of our world depends on the firing of the most destructive weapon I have ever wielded. I am not happy with the idea, but it has to be done. I will fire the gun myself."

Kitano nodded and stood up so Derek could take his station. Derek sat down and grabbed the firing trigger. "Target scope open. Sandor, activate the shield. All ships, fire!"

The Earth fleet, _Arishna's Hand_, four dreadnoughts, Desslok's flagship, and several Gamilon carriers mounted with Desslok cannons all opened up at once. Their energy beams streaked through space and struck the _Yamato._ The ship shook and creaked with the strain, but held strong.

"Energy levels are off the scopes!" Sandor shouted. "Ready to fire any time!"

"Okay, this is end game, folks. Checkmate. Fire!"


	17. 17 Justice by Combat

_Do you know where you are, human? Do you know what you are doing?_

Derek looked around him, but saw only darkness. Blackness. Nothingness. He tried to call out, but his voice was choked off. He either wasn't saying anything or couldn't hear himself.

_You took on the gods, to what end? Mere mortals, did you really believe you could defeat us? _

Derek blinked a few times. Suddenly the intense darkness was replaced by blinding light, forcing him to close his eyes again. Finally his eyes adjusted, allowing him to see his surroundings. He was standing in the middle of a wide valley, the ground beneath him covered in reddish sand. Around him were seven stone pillars depicting seven long-haired women.

"The Sisters," he mumbled.

"Behold, our Elders." Derek turned to see King Lan-Sha'Nath. The King gestured around him as he bowed his head in reverence. "You are the first human to see it. Only our high priests and royalty were permitted here. But now, thanks to you, none shall ever enter again."

Derek looked around him, then back at the King. "This is your home world."

"It was." King Lan-Sha'Nath approached Derek slowly. "This is sacred ground to us. Our rulers and prophets are buried here, watched over by Our Elders until the end of time. Then you came to our galaxy and destroyed it. All of it, gone." He turned away and raised his arms. "GONE!" he shouted with an unholy shriek that echoed throughout the valley.

"Look," Derek said. "I am never going to change your opinion of us or the events that transpired here. I don't know how you're doing this, but say what you have to say, or just kill me now. Get it over with."

"Oh, I intend to, human. Our Elders have made it possible for us to meet face to face, or shall I say hand to hand. We're going to settle this, you and I, the way my people have for centuries. Justice by Combat. Winner takes all. I shall defeat you, then I shall destroy your world, your ship, and every other ship that dares to oppose me."

"I can understand your quarrel with Earth, but what did the Gatlanteans ever do to you? Desslok said your people kept to yourselves for the most part."

"Gatlantis decided they were going to expand their empire, and apparently we stood in their way. We owned a planet that they wanted to use as a staging base. We would not allow it, so one of their more trigger-happy generals decided to try taking it by force. They underestimated both the forces at our disposal as well as our willingness to see a battle through to the end. Many of my people died that day. Our Elders dictate that we are to seek retribution for any such offense, but we do not settle for a simple counter-attack. No, we declared war on Gatlantis, and swore not to stop until their people were exterminated. Today, we finally achieve the final step towards that goal. How convenient to have all our enemies in one place."

"So what happens now?" Derek asked.

"I will kill you."

"You could have done that at any time. Why go to all this trouble?"

"You have been a worthy opponent, Derek Wildstar, and under different circumstances I might even salute your bravery. However, as the Destroyer of our home and murderer of countless millions of my people, there can only be one outcome. You have brought death to my race, and shame to yours. I wanted to address you one last time before ending your life."

"And you think that will stop my crew from carrying out my last order? If I have disappeared from the bridge, there are several people who are more than willing to pull the trigger."

"As far as your crew knows, no time has passed. We are in a place that exists beyond and outside of normal time. You're still on your ship, ready to fire a weapon that will do nothing at all. Once you have exhausted your energy, and that of every other ship in your fleet, _The Judicator _will destroy them. Then your planet shall be torn apart, unable to sustain life just like you did to my world. Then, and ONLY then, shall our thirst for justice be sated."

Derek closed his eyes and shook his head. "If there is one thing I have learned over the past 10 years, it's that as long as there is good in this universe, you can not win. As long as I have life, I will fight you and others like you. I have faith – faith in my crew, in my ship, and in myself."

"Faith? What good is your faith? I have the Elders on my side! They are the very essence and power of the universe itself! What can you possibly hope to accomplish by meeting us head on? You are nothing before them! And I, as their disciple, can not be defeated." The King raised his arm and pointed a blade at Derek. "Enough talk. Now we end this!"

Derek reached for his sidearm, to find that it was not there. He then looked around for anything he might use as a weapon, but couldn't find so much as a rock to throw. Suddenly something made him duck down, and as he did so, a purple energy pulse fired from the blade on the King's arm. An angry chatter came from the King as he fired again, but Derek managed to narrowly avoid the blast. He ran towards one of the stone pillars and hid behind it as two more energy blasts hit the ground near his feet. Derek leaned on the stone, panting, wondering what to do. He looked off into the distance, assuming there even WAS a distance. He had no idea how far this fantasy reached. He turned his head, and could hear footsteps in the sand. This wouldn't remain a safe place for long.

He sprinted out from behind the pillar, hoping he could make it to the next one. Another purple blast whizzed by his head. He dove behind the pillar and crouched down.

"Coward! Stop running! You have nowhere to go!"

The King was right. Eventually, Derek would have to face his enemy. He looked around, hoping to find anything at all to help. Then his eyes locked on something glinting in the sand. For all he knew it was just a reflection, but then he realized there was no sun. Whatever was lighting the area, it wasn't coming from any discernible source. He decided to make a run for it – whatever it was, it couldn't make things any worse.

As he ran, he heard screeching from behind him. Derek dropped down to examine the object, which he could now see was a blade sticking out from the sand. He carefully grabbed it and pulled, but it was stuck on something. Derek dug through the sand to find the reason – the blade was attached to an arm, or rather what was left of an arm. From what he could gather, a Pri'Tan died here and had been covered with sand. Much of his body had long since decayed, but the arm blade was still intact. In desperation, Derek grabbed the arm and yanked, detaching the bone from the rest of the arm. It was awkward to wield, but he at least had something. He stood and turned to see King Lan-Sha'Nath staring at him.

"Put that down, human. That is a _pron-ta_, the weapon of a warrior. You have not earned the right to wield it."

"So how does one earn the right?"

"Taking blood in combat. Making an honorable kill."

"So if I kill you with it?"

"Don't be foolish. You could do no such thing."

"You went on at great length about what would happen if you killed me. What if I kill you?"

"Assuming such a thing were even possible, you would walk away a free man. No one would oppose you. However, the rules are different here. This entire place is created by our Elders, and they control every aspect of it. They would never allow any harm to come to me. You, on the other hand, will not leave this place alive."

"I see." Derek reached out with his mind – perhaps he still had contact.

_I am here, Derek Wildstar._

_Calaeno?_

_He speaks the truth. Maia controls the events that unfold here. You cannot beat him, not here._

_Can you do anything to help me?_

_I have done what I can – the blade in your hand, for example. I will reach out to the others and see what else we can do, but I cannot promise anything. Maia is quite powerful, much more so than I._

"Praying to whatever god you worship, human?"

Derek opened his eyes and smiled. "In a manner of speaking."

"It will not help you." The King raised his arm. "Time to die, Destroyer."

The ground began to tremble, knocking them both from their feet. Derek looked up and saw the seven pillars crack and fall apart.

"YOU DARE TO DRAW BLOOD ON SACRED GROUND?"

King Lan-Sha'Nath looked around in a panic. "I do so with your blessing! I do so to avenge my people! This... this is what you wanted, yes?"

"DO NOT PRESUME TO KNOW WHAT WE WANT!" The ground shook more violently. Derek took the moment of confusion to jump towards the King, who noticed too late to defend himself. Derek plunged the blade into the King's chest. As King Lan-Sha'Nath screamed in pain, the entire world shattered around them.

Derek opened his eyes and was back on the bridge of the _Yamato_, arms outstretched, clutching the firing trigger of the wave motion gun.

Without thinking, he pulled the trigger. Time once again stood still. There was a loud CLICK.

Command Center, _The Judicator_

King Lan-Sha'Nath stood looking over his command crew. He was chuckling to himself, sure of victory. Then, suddenly he fell to the floor, clutching his chest. His attendants rushed to his side, one of them shouting, "Get someone up here! Something is wrong with our King!"

Maia looked down at his crumpled form, shaking her head. How could her sisters be so stupid as to help the humans? She knew that some of them did not completely agree with her methods, but she didn't expect them to outright interfere. She had let her guard down, and they were able to take control of the pocket in time she had created. The battleground that this King – this worthless simpleton – had begged for. The other one, Ham-Sha'Peth, now he showed promise. He followed her orders without question. This one was just too reckless. He insisted on dealing with Derek Wildstar personally, and now his pride was slowly killing him. This was one condition, she had warned him – if you die inside the pocket, you die outside as well. He was certain that the sudden and inexplicable death of the _Yamato's_ captain would demoralize and confuse his enemies. So confident that his "Elders" would protect him, now his arrogance meant his own death. Really, she cared little for his miserable life. He was a means to an end. An instrument. A tool, nothing more, and now that the tool had been broken, it would be discarded like the many others before it.

The bridge commander shouted, "The humans are firing on us!" Maia looked up to the window, then slowly walked towards it. The commander looked back at the body of his King, then bowed before Maia and asked, "What should we do?"

"Do nothing," she said. "Your Elder commands it. They can do no harm to me."

The wave motion gun fired, and a howling blast was unleashed upon _The Judicator_. It struck the midsection with a fierce explosion, but no damage was apparent. Rather, the energy seemed to just dissipate.

A low laugh could be heard, then Maia's face appeared in front of the ship. "FOOLS! What did you think would happen? I would just shrug my shoulders and give up? These are my people and I shall protect them! When your tiny weapons are drained of power, I will command my people to tear you apart!" A shriek of laughter, then she was gone.

Calaeno appeared next to Maria, as Maria said, "This is why I said it would not work. Maia is shielding them. She simply dispersed the energy, but she could have taken that energy and sent it back at you if she chose."

Calaeno nodded, then said, "Except, she knows that we are here. She may be unwilling to break The Law."

"The Law?" Nova asked.

Calaeno bowed her head. "The Law that says we cannot directly cause harm on one another."

"Which is why it is time for us to act," Sterope said as she and Merope appeared next to her sisters.

"Yes," said Merope. "We've done enough damage. It's time for atonement."

"It's time for retribution," said Trelaina, appearing with the rest.

"We can join with the energy coming from the surrounding ships and use it to ensure that Maia cannot overcome it." Maria closed her eyes for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. We can do it."

Nova stood and looked at the Sisters. "You said that you cannot directly cause harm on one another."

"Such action is not permitted," Trelaina said solemnly, "but also not impossible. It is like saying you cannot kill another human – history has proven that you're certainly capable of it, but your morals and laws say it is wrong. It is the same with us – we are capable of it, but we have a Law that forbids it. However, there is much already that we have done that we should not have done. We must now make up for that." All five nodded as one. "By combining our power, we can help you."

Calaeno nodded. "We must act quickly."

"Yes." Maria stood and joined hands with her sisters, and they formed a circle. "We join together as one."

"We join together as one!" the others repeated. Their bodies faded into glowing orbs, then combined into one blinding light that surged with energy. The light briefly appeared as a large multi-headed beast, then disappeared.

Derek could say nothing at first, then the ship began to shake. "Kitano, take the helm! Keep us aimed at that thing!"

"Yes sir!" he said, wiping a tear from his face. He jumped to Maria's station and held the control sticks firmly.

Derek ran back to the Combat Chief's station, calling out to Homer, "Tell the other ships to fire on us again with whatever energy they have left!"

"Yes, sir!" Homer gave the order, and within a minute the surrounding fleet was firing on the _Yamato_ again. The noise was almost deafening.

Derek pulled the firing trigger and shouted, "Everyone hang onto something!" The wave motion gun fired, first the usual blue-white, then changing to a searing white-yellow color, then there was an ear-piercing scream as it changed to a deep red. The energy once again slammed into the hull of _The Judicator_.

King Lan-Sha'Nath was lying on the deck, with four medics surrounding him. He was dying from a puncture wound to the chest, but they could not figure out where it came from. The King looked up at his Elder, who was looking down on him with obvious displeasure.

"This day is thanks to your divine guidance," he croaked. "At long last, the Destroyers shall be vanquished once and for all!"

"They would have been vanquished a lot sooner if you had swallowed your pride and taken care of them a long time ago. You had them! They were your prisoners! Yet you let them get away! All in the name of your idiotic traditions."

"They shall be destroyed by my own... hand... I swear it!"

"The only one destroyed by your own hand seems to be you! Bah! My only satisfaction in all of this is that you will not live to fail me again. Now, I must find – no!" She looked towards the window, struggling to keep her balance.

King Lan-Sha'Nath looked up to Maia's face, which was wrinkled in pain. "Elder?" he asked meekly, taking in his last breath.

The bridge commander called out, "They are firing on us again!"

"They can't! They... they WOULDN'T!" She fell to her knees and held her head.

_The Judicator_ began to shake violently. One of the medics bowed his head in reverence to his fallen liege, while another looked around and asked, "What's happening?" Then the bridge erupted in flames.

Five glowing figures appeared, and a voice said, "Our time has come."

The figures moved to surround Maia, as another voice continued. "We always knew there would be a time when the universe no longer needed us."

A third voice chimed in as the figures joined hands. "That time is now."

Maia tried to stand up, but with a great cry of anguish, she vanished.

"NOOOOOOOOOoooooooo..."

The blast pierced the hull like a spear, splitting the plating. A hole tore through the ship as it buckled in on itself. Then with a bloodcurdling cry, the ship exploded. With a mighty vortex of energy, the scorpion vanished.

_The Judicator_ was gone.


	18. 18 And They All Lived

The space surrounding the Earth was quiet. The remaining ships floated freely, devoid of energy. Everything they had, they had spent to rid the universe of its latest enemy.

"Eager? Sandor... anyone. Status report." Derek struggled to climb into his chair. The bridge was silent, eerily silent. It was as if the mighty ship had given its very life to protect its crew. Reaching his seat, he placed his hand on the console. He could feel nothing.

Calaeno was gone.

He looked down to the bridge crew. They were slumped over their control panels, lying on the floor, or sunk back into their seats. The emergency lights were flickering. Derek hoped life support would hold up.

He managed to stand up and make his way over to his wife. He placed a hand on her shoulder and shook gently. She mumbled something incoherent but did not move. He squeezed her hand and looked out the window. Nothing was visible but stars and the Earth.

Earth!

They had done it. They had saved Earth.

Derek turned at the sound of grinding gears. IQ-9 was putting himself back together and clambering to his feet. "Derek Wildstar, I am operating at 100% efficiency."

"Glad to hear it. Now let's hope the rest of the ship is -"

"Sir, the explosion of _The Judicator_ has created a miniature black hole. We are drifting towards it." IQ-9 rolled towards the front of the bridge and pointed.

Derek followed him to look out the window. Directly ahead of them a swirling cloud was pulling small ships into it, both Pri'Tan and Earth vessels alike. The Gamilon fleet had already withdrawn, and the Gatlantean battleships were moving away from it, but it looked like the Earth ships were having trouble escaping the pull.

Derek rushed around to his crew, trying to wake them up. "IQ, get down to the engine room and make sure everyone down there is okay. We need to get the engine restarted now."

"Yes, sir!" IQ-9 entered the elevator, which did not work. Pulling a small yellow plug from his hand, IQ-9 connected to the elevator and the door closed.

"What's happening?" Nova mumbled, shaking her head.

"What hit us?" Kitano asked.

"Wake up guys, we're in trouble." Derek pointed out the window to the rip in space.

"Oh, no." Kitano sank into the Navigator's seat and started hitting switches. "Wildstar, nothing is responding."

Sandor was awake now as well, and was staring at his console. "We drained our batteries. We're not going to get out of here without a jump start."

"Great," Derek frowned. "Any ideas? Let's hear them."

_Prometheus_ Bridge

Captain Rolaski looked out to space. His fleet was having trouble getting away from the black hole, but they would make it. Then his eyes rested on _Yamato_.

"Woods, look!" The Captain stood and pointed. "_Yamato_! She's not moving!"

Douglas Woods, the _Prometheus_' navigator, looked as well. "Sir? What can we do?"

Rolaski grabbed a microphone. "_Prometheus_ to _Yamato_! Come in! Commodore Wildstar? Are you there? Please respond!" Dead air. He dropped the mic and looked down to his radio operator. "Mayamoto, anything?"

Sushi was madly smacking dials in an attempt to make a signal come out of nowhere. "They're dead in the water, Captain. No signs of power, no emissions from their WME."

"I see. _Yamato_ gave her all. We're not going to let her die in space. Not again. Woods, get us within range."

"Rescue operation?" he asked, correcting their course.

"Of a sort. Charge the matter transporters."

"Yes sir."

"And pray that those Galman engineers are worth as much as Emperor Desslok claimed."

"Sandor, anything?"

"Nothing. We're on backup generators just to keep life support. They don't have enough juice to get the engine going though."

"The order has been given to abandon ship?"

IQ-9 replied, "Yes, sir. All hands are making their way to shuttles, however it is uncertain whether they will be able to escape the gravitational pull."

"It's their only chance. They have to make it out."

Kitano called out, "Wildstar, the _Prometheus_ is headed this way!"

"Great, they can pick up the crew. I just hope they don't get sucked in."

"With twin wave engines? Not a chance," Sandor said proudly.

"Wait, they're stopping," Kitano said.

"What?" Derek looked out the window where Kitano was gesturing. "Sandor, come look at this."

Sandor looked, then shook his head. "Oh no."

"Okay, according to this, _Yamato_ and all escaping craft are within range."

"Okay then," Rolaski said. "Activate the transporters."

"Activating, sir."

The SMITE pods began to glow, then fired. The transport beam engulfed the _Yamato_ and the surrounding shuttles, all of which disappeared. Within seconds, they reappeared on the far side of the Earth, safe from the black hole's pull.

"Wildstar, we're clear!"

"Someone want to tell me what just happened?" Kitano was rubbing the back of his head.

Sandor looked out to the black hole in the distance. "Rolaski used the _Prometheus_' matter transporters to get us out of the black hole's gravitational pull."

"That explains why my head feels like someone cleaned it out with a deck brush," Kitano mumbled.

"Are we any closer to getting the engines started?" Derek was looking around at the still-dark bridge terminals.

"We need a power source, sir," IQ-9 replied. "The backup charging system was destroyed. The extraordinary power of the Sisters was keeping the engines from overloading, but once that power was extinguished, there was nothing to prevent a burnout."

Nova said softly, "They gave their lives to save ours."

A quiet voice came from nowhere. "Not completely." The naked form of Treleina appeared, lying on the deck. Her usual bright glow was now barely visible. "Some of us... are... stronger than..." Her form faded out for a second, then returned.

Nova ran over to her, but Trelaina waved her away. "I do not have the energy to become corporeal. In time I may recover."

"And the others?" Nova asked.

Trelaina shook her head. "Where there were once seven, four remain. Soon, there shall be only two."

"Is there anything we can do for you?" Derek asked, kneeling before her.

"No. We did what we had to do, knowing the outcome. Our sacrifice shall serve as a message to the others – there is a price to pay for any and all actions." She faded again, then disappeared.

"She's... she's gone," Nova said with a croak.

"Only two, she said. I wonder which ones." Kitano had a hopeful look about him. Then he looked at Derek, and his expression changed to one of embarrassment. "Sorry, sir. I just-"

"It's okay," Derek said. "We will all miss her." He stood, then looked around. "Do you hear that?"

Sandor looked around, then said, "The engines?"

There was a pulsing sound coming from the back of the ship that started to increase in pitch.

"The engines are starting!" Kitano looked over the navigation station as it mysteriously came to life. The rest of the bridge started to light up, and the crew ran for their stations.

"I don't have an explanation, Wildstar," Sandor said. "It's as if the ship just woke up from a deep sleep."

Derek placed his hand on the console, hoping. Then he smiled. "More like it was given CPR." He looked down at a status screen, which contained a message.

I am here.

Derek smiled, then looked up when he saw a flash from outside the window. The _Prometheus_ appeared. "Homer?"

"Yes sir, Captain Rolaski on main viewer."

Derek looked up to see Rolaski saluting. "Good to see you are all okay," he said.

"As far as I know, we're all fine," Derek said returning the salute. "Our systems are just now coming back online, but from what we can tell, we made it with minor damage only. What about you?"

"_Prometheus_ is green, but I lost two ships."

Sandor was unable to contain himself any longer. "Captain, how did you manage to get the SMITE pods working?"

"Emperor Desslok was kind enough to loan us a few engineers to provide the missing pieces to the puzzle. It still needs some work, but our field tests proved to be quite impressive, don't you agree?"

"To put it mildly. I will definitely have to meet with those engineers."

Rolaski turned back to Derek. "Are you in need of further assistance?"

"I think we'll be okay now, thank you. It just took our backup system a few minutes to recover."

"Excellent. With your permission, my fleet shall return to Earth. I am sure there is a lot to do down there."

"By all means, Captain. We will be joining you shortly." Derek nodded as the viewer went dark. He was about to give the order when he felt an odd presence. Looking down at the status screen, he noticed that the message had changed.

He is here.

"Someone's here," Kitano said.

"I feel it too." Eager was looking around the bridge.

"There!" Sandor was pointing to the spot where Trelaina had been. Something was taking form.

"Hail and greetings, brave warriors!" A man wearing a toga appeared. He had an olive branch on his head and carried a staff that resembled a lightning bolt.

Derek stepped towards him and said, "I am going to guess that you are Zeras."

The man smiled and nodded. "Zeras, Zeus, Odin, I have many names. You, my champion! You are the great Derek Wildstar! I congratulate you on your victory. And..." He lowered his eyes. "I thank you as well."

"Coming from a god, that's high praise indeed," Derek smiled. "I am honored!"

Zeras either did not detect the sarcasm or chose to ignore it. "Yes, yes, I suppose you are." He turned and looked around at the crew. "Considering this ship was once named _Argo_, I should have expected nothing less." He turned back to Derek.

"So, what will happen now?" Derek asked.

"Hmm? Happen? Oh, well, the universe shall continue on as it has."

"No, I mean with the Earth, the Sisters, the Pri'Tan."

"Ah, yes, of course," Zeras nodded, as if he hadn't considered this. "Well, the Earth shall heal itself. Your people will once again rebuild and thrive, as they always have. Humans have a remarkable resilience, you see. Amazing ability to, how do you put it... bounce back?"

"And the Pleaides?" Nova asked.

"The what? Oh! Yes of course! Well now. That is a more difficult issue. What to do, what to do. Hmm. Well, I am sure they told you the whole long, sordid tale. Malevolence, sticking their noses where they didn't belong, and all that? Yes, yes of course they did. So, then. I imagine that the entire thing was intended to get back in my good graces. Why else would they make such a sacrifice if not for me? Yes, of course. Well, lucky for them that it worked, I suppose. Too bad for them, after all that."

"Too bad?" Nova looked shocked. "You mean you don't care?"

Derek glanced back at her and whispered, "Nova, please..."

"Care? Well, of course I care! I care about all my children. Even those that aren't truly mine, and let me tell you, that's not many!" He laughed at his own joke, then coughed and continued. "However, what is, well, is. I cannot change what has occurred. I am sure they went on and on about Rules and Law and such? Yes, of course they did. I am bound by the same rules, you see. They chose their own destinies, their own paths. I cannot, and shall not, interfere."

"Then they are truly gone," Kitano said, looking towards Maria's station.

"Yes, I am afraid so. Well, not all of them. I do detect a faint trace of Calaeno's essence here on this ship. This was, after all, her home for many of your years, so it stands to reason that she would return here, yes? Electra, she was just here, I can tell... she has rejoined with your former companion, Mark is it? There, she will most likely remain. Ah, but you are worried about a particular Sister, yes? Alcyone, yes, she used your navigator as a host." He closed his eyes for a moment, then smiled. "She has one last gift for you." He turned and looked at the navigator's chair, where Maria's body was seated. A soft groan was heard and her hand twitched.

"Maria!" Kitano ran to her, picking her up carefully. "She's alive!"

"She is weak, but will recover with care. More of that Earth resilience, I imagine." Zeras smiled and looked around. "You know, there was a long period where we all placed wagers on your survival. Many just did not believe that your species would survive! Countless wars and atrocities, and then invasion from other worlds on top of that." He winked at Derek. "Funny how a crisis can bring out the worst and the best in people, eh?"

Derek nodded. His crew had shown that time and time again.

"And with that, I must take my leave." Before anyone could respond, Zeras faded away.

"Wow," was all Derek could manage.

"Do you think they are really gone?" Nova asked. "It's not like they haven't bent the truth before."

"I don't know if we're meant to know that," Derek shook his head. "If they truly are made of some form of energy, then they are still out there someplace. Energy can't be destroyed, just changed to another form. And, he conveniently left out one detail. There is still one more out there."

"Mariposa!" Nova exclaimed.

"Taygete. As far as I know, she stayed out of it. We have no way to know what side she chose, if any at all." Derek turned to Kitano. "Take her to Doctor Sane, then get back up here. We're going home."

Six months later...

"Hey, over here!"

Derek looked towards the voice to see Kitano waving at them from a table. He waved back, then placed a hand on Nova's shoulder to guide her in that direction. She smiled and pushed the stroller towards Kitano and Maria.

Kitano pulled out a chair and motioned for Nova to sit down. She nodded her thanks, saying, "Always the gentleman!"

He laughed and said, "It's still too soon for you to be on your feet, Mom."

"Oh, you! I'm fine, really!" She leaned over to make sure Miyuki was settled. The baby was sound asleep, clutching a small stuffed duck.

"How is she doing?" Maria asked.

"She's been an absolute joy," Derek said, sitting down and waving for a waiter. "The first few weeks were nerve wracking. Nova had been through a lot after all."

"I'm stronger than you think, my dear," Nova said with a wink. "Besides, Doctor Sane said I was one of his easiest deliveries in a long time."

"I think the kid was just happy to finally be off the roller coaster ride," Derek laughed.

Nova tossed a sugar packet at him, then looked over at Maria and said, "It's good to see you back on your feet. How are you feeling?"

"Speaking of people who have been through a lot," Kitano mumbled.

"Hush, you," Maria said to Kitano, nudging his arm. "I'm doing fine. I've been cleared for duty, so I am just waiting for my next assignment."

"Do you... feel anything?" Derek asked, pointing to his head.

She gave him a puzzled look, then nodded in understanding. "Of her? I'm not sure." Maria looked upwards. "I don't have a lot of memory of what happened while I was possessed."

"I hate that word," Kitano winced. "Sounds like creepy horror film type stuff."

"Well, she lived inside me for a few days and controlled my dead body like a puppet. If that isn't possession than I don't know what is." She flipped her hair back and continued, "She doesn't talk to me, so I guess she's not still inside my head. She may have given whatever energy she had left to bring me back. I don't completely feel like myself though."

"In what way?" Miyuki was making burbling noises, so Nova started shuffling through her bag. "Aha, here we are! Lunch time!" She pulled out a bottle and put it on the table, then reached down to scoop the baby from the stroller. As she did so, she looked around nervously. She was surprised but relieved that there wasn't a crowd of people taking pictures like the last time she was out and about.

"Well," Maria began, then hesitated. "It's tough to explain. I didn't say anything to the shrinks about it. They'll think I've gone _loco_ or something and keep me in a padded cell."

Kitano poked her and said, "Crazy."

She shot a wide-eyed look at him. "What? I am not!"

"No, I mean the word is 'crazy.' It sounds funny when you mix languages like that."

She poked him back and said, "I'll stop saying _loco_ when you stop saying _baka_. Deal?"

He looked down into his coffee cup, grinned, and whispered, "You win."

"I'll train you yet," she said and kissed him on the ear. She looked back to Nova, who was trying her best not to burst out laughing. "It's like my mind is different now. Things come easier. I did a lot of reading while I was laid up, and one of the nurses commented on how fast I was going through books. I hadn't even realized it. I read and comprehend a lot faster than I did at the Academy, that's for sure. Like, one night I couldn't sleep, so I started reading some online articles about Sandor's theories for improving Wave Motion technology. I figured if that doesn't put me out, nothing will, right? After about the third or fourth page, I realized, I actually understood it! I mean, I'm just an over-glorified pilot. You start talking about tachyon emissions and quantum singularities and my eyes would just glaze over while my brain checks into a motel for the night. Now? I could almost wrap my head around it. Scary."

Derek closed his eyes and nodded. "Alcyone may have left something behind."

"You think?" Maria asked, then said, "That bitch! I don't wanna wake up one night to pee and find out I glow in the dark or some shit like that."

Nova giggled. "That could come in handy, actually." She was trying to get Miyuki to take the bottle, but the kid kept pushing it away. "Come on, yum yum!" she said softly.

"What's next for you two?" Kitano asked.

Derek was looking around, trying to find someone to get him some badly needed coffee. "Us? Nova wants to finish her medical degree, although I don't know how she plans to do that with her arms full." He smiled and motioned towards the now flailing bundle of blankets in Nova's arms. "Me, I'm taking some time away to be with my family for a change. I don't want to become one of those warbirds who live on the deck of a battleship, coming home once or twice a year just long enough to make a kid." He caught himself and blushed. "I mean.. not that I..." Too late, the other three were already drowning him out in laughter.

Kitano was looking at Miyuki, then made a glance towards Maria.

"Don't think I didn't catch that, Romeo." Maria was shaking her head. "I just got rid of the last person inside me, it'll be quite some time before I bring one of those into the world."

"Let's hope the world is safe enough to do just that when you two are ready," Nova said.

"What?" Maria batted her eyes. "What makes you think it'll be with this loser?" She poked a thumb at Kitano then made a dismissive wave at him. Kitano grabbed her and gave her a kiss.

"Because I'm the only man in the universe who would put up with you." They smiled at each other and kissed again.

Derek put his head in his hands and shook it, mumbling, "Were we that bad?"

Nova giggled and said, "Worse." She looked up at the blue sky, hoping that this time, it would stay bright.


End file.
